Aftermath: A New Beginning
by Michelle Clover
Summary: Guided by a strange dream and driven by the growing threat of the demon that lives inside her lover, Gabrielle Hawke and her companions sail to the city of Denerim in search of the one person who may be able to save them. AU Rating based on Language/Adult Content.
1. Chapter 1: Hawke's Only Regret

_A/N: I own no rights to the characters or worlds found in this story. Based on Bioware's Dragon Age games. _

_**Possible spoilers**  
_

Gabrielle Hawke sat on a wooden crate watching the sunset from the deck of a small ship. The only sound she could hear was that of the waves lapping against the hull of the sloop as it cut through the Waking Sea. A slight breeze blew her dark hair across her face as she took it all in. She heaved a sigh. It was all gone. Everything she had worked for and acquired over the past five years was left behind in the city that she had called home. Even though she grew up in Ferelden, it never quite felt right to her. Because she, her sister and their father were all apostates, her family never stayed in one place for very long. Kirkwall was the first place in which she ever felt that she really belonged. Now it was just a memory that was fading into the background of the ship that carried her.

Her thoughts turned to her family. Her father died before the blight. Her younger sister, Bethany, was slain by an ogre while they were fleeing the darkspawn horde that had invaded their small village in Ferelden. Her mother was murdered by a mad blood mage and her brother Carver was killed just a few hours earlier by the Knight-Commmander he had sworn his loyalty to. Gabrielle was all that was left of her line; the last Hawke. She closed her eyes and leaned her back against the ship's mast.

Gabrielle was the type of person who lived her life without regret. When she arrived in Kirkwall she made the decision to live her life openly and honestly, without shame for her thoughts and actions. Her philosophy became the past cannot be changed so regretting it was futile. The only thing that could be done was to learn from mistakes and try not to make the same ones twice, but at that very moment, for the first time, she began to feel the weight of regret. She refused to blame herself for the actions of Meredith and Orsino. Both of them made their own decisions and acted upon them. Their fates were of their own making. She also didn't regret the fact that her own actions caused Sebastian to turn on her and his faith, that was his choice.

Her regret came in her thoughts of Anders. She would not apologize for sparing his life, doing otherwise was never an option for her. What she questioned were her actions leading up to that point. Would that have ever been a decision she had to make if she would have done things differently? If she had fought to stay at his side, and not let him push her away again, could she have stopped him? All of those nights she spent waiting for him to come home…why didn't she seek him out? When he tried to push her away, why didn't she hold onto him tighter? Her own stupid pride wouldn't allow her to run after him, she waited for him to come to her. She saw all of the signs of the spirit taking over, why didn't she help him fight it? She had seen what the spirit inside him had become, but she did nothing to stay his hand. From the moment of that explosion, Anders' life became forfeit. He would be branded a murderer, a terrorist to be hunted for the rest of his days. Gabrielle could never blame Anders for what he did. It was a desperate act performed by a desperate man.

She felt a hand grip her shoulder gently then heard a familiar voice. "Are you alright, my love?"

She gripped his large fingers and kissed the back of his hand softly. She slowly nodded. "Yes…I'm fine."

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry about your brother."

She looked up into the blonde mage's amber eyes. They were filled with concern and sadness. She smiled at him gently. "It's not your fault, Anders. He knew the risks when he joined the Order."

He shook his head as he sat down beside her. "Be that as it may, none of this would have happened if not for me."

Gabrielle turned her face to him. She lifted her hand and touched his cheek then swept a stray tendril of hair away from his forehead with her fingertips. Her bright blue-green eyes searched his.

"Anders, Carver was murdered by a lyrium crazed zealot. You did not swing the sword that took his life, Meredith did."

"But…"

She covered his lips with her index finger. "But nothing. I know that what happened to the Chantry was Vengeance's doing. You can argue that point all you want, but you know it's true. As far as everything else is concerned, that idol took control of Meredith and it was only going to get worse. She was going to turn on all of the mages in Kirkwall, it was only a matter of time. With or without what Vengeance did, Meredith would have eventually slaughtered every mage in the city."

Anders gave Gabrielle a quizzical stare. "Why do you keep calling Justice that?"

"Because that is what he is. Justice may have been a good spirit once, but the demon of Vengeance is what he has become."

"That's my fault as well." Anders said sadly as his shoulders drooped.

Gabrielle shook her head. "No, I believe the blame falls to both you and Justice. I do think that Justice takes most of the share of it though."

"How can you say that Gabrielle? It was my anger that changed him."

"I'm just not sure I believe that, Anders. It doesn't matter anymore anyway. What's been done can't be undone. All we can do is move forward from here."

Anders remained silent, but acknowledged Gabrielle's words with a small nod as he glanced at the rough wooden planks beneath his boots. He lifted his head and pulled her into a tight embrace. She had missed the feeling of his strong arms. It had been so long since he had last held her. She nuzzled her face into the black feather pauldrons adorning his shoulder, enjoying his warmth and the feeling of him pressed against her. She gave a silent prayer to the Maker thanking him for not letting her die without being able to feel Anders that close again. If it hadn't been for Fenris, those last few months without Anders would have been unbearable. The thought of Fenris reminded her of the conversation she needed to have with both of the men, but she quickly put it out of her mind for the moment so she could just enjoy being wrapped up in Anders' arms.

He cupped her chin in his hand and pulled her lips to his. He kissed her softly and she could feel how much he cared for her. There was no sign of Justice or Vengeance or whatever the spirit that resided in Anders had become. It was just the two of them sharing their affections with a warm, loving embrace and a gentle kiss.

"I love you, Gabrielle." he whispered. "I've loved you since the first moment I saw you. Through everything, that is the one thing that has never changed."

"I love you too Anders." she replied gently. "And no matter what happens, I always will."

She laid her head against his chest as he pulled her in closer. He kissed the top of her head and then rested his cheek on the spot that his lips had touched. They sat there in silence, watching the waves move across the ocean, forgetting all of their problems and the troubles of the world. Even knowing everything they were about to face, for that one brief moment, their love and each other was all that mattered.


	2. Chapter 2: Fenris's Compromise

Fenris stood leaning against a wooden beam watching the only door that lead to the deck above. It had been hours since they left the city and being away from Hawke was driving him mad. As well as he knew the woman, he always questioned what he should do in situations like this. All he could do was draw from his own feelings and experiences and treat her the way he would want to be treated if he were in her position. He knew that he personally would need time alone to reflect on all that had happened, so he was trying to extend the same courtesy to Hawke.

As he wrestled with his urge to go find her, he observed the cabin around him. The mood below decks could only be described as somber. Even Merrill, who was usually babbling incessantly about one thing or another, remained silent as she stared out into nothingness. Isabela had retreated to the captain's quarters and Varric was sitting in a corner polishing his crossbow. Something was missing. Fenris took a quick glance around him again and realized that the mage was gone. His heart sank. The last time Fenris had seen him, the mage had been lying in a hammock with his eyes closed. How did he not notice Anders slipping out the door? The knowledge that Anders was with Hawke made up Fenris's mind for him. He quickly made his way out the door to the deck above.

Almost immediately, he spotted Hawke sitting by the mast with her head on Anders' chest and their arms around each other. His breath caught in his throat and he felt a sharp pain in his chest. His knees felt weak, as though they might give way. He turned his back to the couple and sank to the boards beneath him. The pain in his chest moved to his stomach. It felt like someone had punched him, hard. It took all that he had not to vomit all over the weathered wooden steps below him. His deep green eyes darted back and forth as he tried to will himself to breathe again. After everything the mage had done to her, after everything he put her through, how could she choose him now?

Right before the battle began, Fenris had bared his heart and soul to Hawke. He told her that meeting her was the most important thing that had ever happened to him, that nothing would keep him from her, not even the threat of death. He never imagined that after everything they had shared, especially over the past few months, she could toss him aside so easily.

What was he supposed to do now? She was all he lived for. Protecting her, keeping her by his side was his entire purpose for being. Without her, he was just a hollow, empty shell. Her life, her happiness was all that mattered to him.

Suddenly, the reality of it all hit him like the weight of a mountain. It didn't matter if Hawke chose to be with the mage. It made no difference who she was in love with. Fenris's life was forfeit to her. If being with Anders would make her happy, then he would bow out, but he would not leave her. Even if she asked him to go, he would continue to follow and protect her just beyond her site.

One single, solitary tear fell from his eye representing the shattered pieces of his heart. As he had done for the last four years, he would continue to love her from afar. If that was all he could have, then so be it. He hoped that maybe someday she would see and understand his feelings for her and then maybe she might love him the same way. Until then, the memories of the past few months would have to carry him through.

He stood and closed his eyes. He took a deep, cleansing breath to help give him the strength to hear the words that he knew she was going to say. When he opened his eyes again, he saw her, still being held tightly by the blonde mage. He approached them from behind and gave a small cough to alert them to his presence. Hawke turned her face toward him and slowly pulled away from Anders.

"Hawke." Fenris found the word difficult to say. He steeled himself against breaking down.

"Hello Fenris." She didn't appear to be ashamed to have him find her with Anders or even surprised to see him standing there.

"I…I think we need to talk" He turned to Anders. "Privately."

Anders looked at Hawke and she nodded to tell the mage that he should go.

"I guess that I will go below decks and see what the others are up to." He cupped her chin and bent his head to give her lips a quick kiss. "Don't be too long, love."

She smiled up at Anders. "I won't."

Anders stood and bowed his head to Fenris before making his way to the stairs. Hawke remained silent for a few minutes and Fenris knew that she was giving the mage time to get below decks.

Fenris looked down at his feet. "I know what you're going to say Hawke, and I just wanted to let you know that…"

"What is it that you think I'm going to say Fenris?"

His eyes trailed from his feet and made their way slowly to hers. "That you have decided to be with _him_."

"Well, that's certainly part of it." she agreed.

Fenris was puzzled. "What do you mean _part_ of it?"

Hawke let out a long breath. "I mean that's part of it. The simple fact of the matter is, I love Anders and I don't ever see that changing."

Even after seeing Hawke and Anders together just moments before, until that very moment, part of Fenris still held onto a small shred of hope that he was wrong. That was gone now, and it was tearing him apart.

"I suppose that I was a fool to believe that you would ever love me that way."

Whatever answer Fenris was expecting, he would have never guessed what she actually said to him. "You weren't a fool Fenris, because I do love you that way."

Fenris shook his head in confusion. His brow furrowed and his eyes narrowed. "What are you saying Hawke? I'm not a stupid man, but I don't understand what you are trying to tell me. You say you love Anders, but then you tell me that you love me the same as him. That doesn't make sense."

Hawke's eyes and voice became pleading and desperate. "Yes it does, Fenris. I love both of you. I can't ever imagine spending a day of my life without either one of you in it."

Fenris covered his eyes with his left hand and then slowly let it slide to cover his mouth. He allowed it to linger there for a few moments as he tried to comprehend her words.

"Are you really going to sit there and tell me that you want to be with both me and Anders? And you really expect me to agree to this?" His voice held the small undertones of anger and frustration.

"Do you love me, Fenris?" she asked.

"Right at this moment, I really wish that I could say no, but I can't."

"If I would have said to you that I decided to choose Anders and end my relationship with you, would you have left?"

"No. I made a vow to you and to myself that I would never leave your side."

"And is that vow the only thing that's keeping you here? Or do you stay because of the love you feel for me?"

Fenris stared deep into her eyes. "I stay because I love you. You are everything. Whether or not your feelings are the same for me, I will still love you and I will not leave your side…ever."

Her face softened and he saw her love for him reflecting in her bright blue-green eyes. It was the same look she had given him hundreds of times over the past few months. The one his entire world had come to revolve around.

"So it would be better for you to stay by my side loving me without feeling my love in return? You would see me give all of my love to another instead of allowing me to share it with you both? That doesn't make sense."

None of it made any sense to Fenris, but at the same time it made perfect sense. Hawke always maintained a certain brand of twisted logic that made arguing with it almost impossible. After he escaped Danarius, Fenris only saw the world in clear patterns of black and white. When he met Hawke, she not only introduced him to gray, but the many varying shades of it as well. Still, he was not ready to give in without a fight.

"But how can you be in love with two people at the same time? It's not possible."

"Please believe that I'm not trying to hurt you when I ask this, but do you think I just suddenly stopped loving Anders when you and I started our relationship?"

All of the fire and anger left Fenris's voice. "No."

"And after the first time that you and I spent the night together, I didn't stop caring for you when Anders and I became a couple. I lived with him for three years, but I never lost my feelings for you. So when I was with him, I loved you and when I was with you, I loved him."

At that moment, Fenris knew that arguing the point any further was useless. What he did know was that he would do anything to be with her, make any sacrifice necessary. If sharing her with Anders was what he had to do to keep her with him, then that's the way it had to be. He took her by the hand and pulled her to a standing position. He studied her face as he tucked her hair behind her ears.

"Is this truly what you want, Hawke? This will not be easy for any of us."

She smiled brightly at him. "And when is love ever easy?"

Fenris shook his head and returned her smile. He caressed her face, placed his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. He tilted his head slightly and kissed her passionately. His sudden need for her consumed him to his very soul. He pulled her into him and held her tightly in his arms as he continued to kiss her lips. His hands began to explore her body. She was wearing her black leather armor sans the long duster that usually accompanied the outfit. He felt her bare arms and shoulders beneath his fingers as they worked their way down her back. He traced the lines of her tight bodice from the middle of her back to the front. He pulled down the leather garment and cupped her bare breasts with his hands. His lips moved from hers and he placed soft kisses down her neck and shoulders until they found her breasts. He bent his legs a little more, wrapped his arms around her upper thighs and lifted her up. He walked backward and found his way to the crate that she had just vacated minutes before, his mouth never leaving her breasts. He kissed his way back up to her mouth as his hands fumbled with the leather strings of her pants. Once the strings were untied, Fenris loosened them and moved his hands down to her bare buttocks. He kneaded and massaged them as his tongue explored her mouth.

His voice was hoarse and breathless as he tugged at her pants. "Please…take these off. I need to be with you…now."

Hawke continued kissing him as she played with the laces of her boots. When the strings were loosened enough, she stood and put her hand on Fenris's shoulder to maintain her balance as she quickly pulled them off. She covered his mouth with hers as she shimmied out of her pants and small clothes. While she undressed, Fenris had taken the opportunity to free himself of his own pants, so when she finally had her bottoms completely removed she straddled him and they immediately joined together. As she moved up and down he held her chest tightly against his. He had never before felt the aching hunger for her that he felt at that moment. He had come so close to losing her that day to both the templars and Anders and that knowledge fanned the flames of desire within him. She leaned back enough to run her fingers through is silver hair and stare into his eyes. Her face was filled with desperation and desire.

"I love you, Fenris."

Before he could say anything, his body jerked with his release. He grabbed her by the back of her head and pulled her lips to his. He kissed her deeply as waves of ecstasy overtook them both. When it was over, he wrapped her in his arms and held her as tightly as he could, the ocean breeze cooling their bodies.

After a few moments, their previous conversation invaded Fenris's thoughts.

"Have you told the mage what you told me? I mean about the three of us?"

Hawke didn't move a muscle. "No, not yet."

"And what if he does not agree with your plan?"

"He will."

Normally Fenris would argue with Hawke about being so certain when it came to other people's actions and feelings, but at that moment he just couldn't make himself care.

"So when do you plan on telling him?"

Hawke sighed. "I suppose when you go down and tell him that I need to speak with him."

Fenris hooked her hair behind her ear. "Can it wait just a little while longer? Right now, I just want to enjoy this moment."

"Me too." She replied

Fenris wasn't sure how any of this was going to work. Not only that, but with everything that had happened in the past twenty-four hours, all of their futures were uncertain. Somehow though, none of it mattered. What mattered to him was that he was able to remain at the side of the woman he loved. That would not only carry him through the dark days that were to come but through the rest of his life.


	3. Chapter 3: Anders' Compromise

Anders sat on the floor, rolling his staff back and forth in front of him. The waiting was driving him insane. What could be taking Gabrielle so long? He imagined that Fenris was arguing with her and trying to talk her into being with him instead of Anders.

He smiled to himself at the thought of that. After everything Anders had put her through, she still loved him and chose to be with him. He had never in his life thought that he would find anyone like Gabrielle. He knew that he didn't deserve her, but she chose to stay with him, to love him anyway. He owed her everything, including his life. He spent way too much of the time he had known her pushing her away, yet she was always there when he needed her. He could never repay her for any of it, but he would spend the rest of his life making it up to her, somehow.

He looked up when he heard the sound of the cabin door shut. He expected to see Fenris brooding and upset. Instead, the elf had a smirk on his face. Anders also half expected to see Gabrielle walk through the door, but she hadn't accompanied the elf. He wondered to himself what that meant or even if it meant anything at all.

Anders stood when Fenris approached him. The elf peered up at him from behind his mussed silver hair. He was close enough for Anders to smell Gabrielle's perfume on him. Anders didn't even have to see or talk to Gabrielle to know what had just happened. How could she? Why would she? Anders' head was filled with questions and confusion.

"Hawke would like to speak with you on deck."

He wanted to throw a fireball at the elf's smug face.

"What about?" Anders' voice was cold.

"You would have to ask her that yourself, mage." The smirk never left Fenris's face. He bowed his head slightly to Anders before making his way to one of the hammocks that were spread throughout the room.

Anders stooped to retrieve his staff from the floor. He took a long look at it as he did. It was fashioned from volcanic aurum, an intricate pattern of small diamonds carved throughout its length. On the top was a carefully constructed likeness of a nude Andraste, spreading her arms wide, symbolizing her as a sacrifice to the Maker. Coming from the small statue's back, was a broken circle that ended in two sharp points above the prophet's head. It represented both the broken promise of the Circle and the wings of freedom for mages.

It was the staff that Gabrielle had given him as a gift on their first Satinalia together. She told him that her father had taken years to create it and constantly worked to perfect it in the last part of his life. Even though Gabrielle's mother did not possess the gift, she carried it with her when they fled the village of Lothering, and according to Gabrielle it was the only physical thing she had left to remember her father by. When he unwrapped it and Gabrielle told him the story, he protested. He asked her why she didn't carry it to honor her father's memory. Her answer was that she never felt worthy enough, but that he reminded her so much of her father that she thought Malcolm would be proud to have him wield it. Other than Gabrielle's love, that staff was the most important thing anyone had ever given him and he had carried it ever since that day.

As he stared at the staff, he knew in his heart that there was no way she would have given it to him if she hadn't loved him. He also believed to his very core that if she didn't love him still she would have asked for him to return it. That staff represented her eternal love for him more than any ring ever could.

He put the blunt end to the floor and used it to steady himself as he rose to his feet. He gripped it tightly as he thought about Gabrielle and what had just occurred between her and Fenris. He could feel the diamond pattern embedding itself into his flesh as he stood there wondering why. Maybe it was one last tryst before she gave herself to Anders completely. Even though he hated the thought of it, he knew that Gabrielle had deep feelings for the elf. He knew that it was his own fault, but that knowledge didn't make the fact any easier. After a few moments Anders willed his feet to move and made his way to the topside of the ship.

He found Gabrielle sitting on the same crate where he had left her. Her arms were hugged tight to her body and she was shivering. Anders quickly removed his coat and placed it lovingly around her shoulders. She looked up at him gratefully.

"Thank you, Anders." Her smile lit up the cold night sky.

"Fenris said that you wanted to talk to me."

"Yes..." she sighed heavily. "I don't know how to say this to you, but I will try to get through it as quickly as I can."

Anders could already feel the tears forming in the corners of his eyes. This couldn't be happening. She was about to break his heart the way he had broken hers so many times before. He wasn't sure he could bear it. He felt the demon inside him start to rise from its dormant state. He stared at her with desolation in his eyes. His shoulders slumped as he felt the weight of the world bear down on them. The only good thing he had ever known in his life was ending and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

He remained silent, unable to find his voice so she continued. "Anders, I love you more than you will probably ever realize. Even with all that we have been through, I have never stopped loving you."

A glimmer of hope shined through the darkness of his soul only to be crushed by one word.

"But…" she said softly. "I also love Fenris."

Anders could no longer hold back his tears. He stood there in front of her, his one and only love, weeping like a child. Every dream he had, every hope for the future was crashing down around him. He knew that it was no less than he deserved. After everything he had done wrong with his life, what ever made him believe that he could be happy? Losing her was his penance for his wrongdoing. Part of him wished that she would have taken his life. It would have been easier than what she was doing to him now.

She stood, letting his coat fall from her shoulders and embraced him. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders as his tears fell into her hair. His body shook with his sobs as he held onto her for dear life. She looked up at him and standing on her tiptoes, kissed his tearstained cheek, then wiped the tears from his eyes with her fingertips.

"Please don't cry, my love." she whispered.

My love, had she really just called him that? He wondered what that meant. She just told him that she loved Fenris. He just assumed that she was trying to tell him that she was choosing the elf, but now he began to question that thought. He stood there staring down into her eyes feeling the touch of her hands on his face and her body pressed against his. His tears were replaced with confusion.

"Gabrielle, what are you trying to tell me?"

"I guess what I'm trying to say is that I love you both and I want to be with both of you. I could no more choose Fenris over you than I could you over him."

Anders stared out into the darkness, trying to comprehend her words. He withdrew his arms from her and turned to face the stern of the ship. He felt Vengeance rise within him again. At that moment he wanted nothing more than to kill Fenris, to make the elf pay for stealing Gabrielle's love away from him. A familiar blue light flashed across his eyes. He put his hands to his face and shook his head to push the demon down. None of this was Fenris's fault anymore than it was Gabrielle's fault. The blame for what was happening could only be laid at his own feet. But how could he ever be able to allow this, to approve it? How could she expect him to share her with another man? And not just any man, but Fenris…the one person he hated more than anyone else. He kept his back turned to her as he spoke.

"I love you, Gabrielle, with all of my heart, but I'm not sure I can do this. This is asking too much of me."

She put her hand on his shoulder and spun him around to face her. Her bright blue-green eyes filled with anger.

"Do you really love me, Anders? Because from where I'm standing it doesn't appear that you do."

He matched her shouts. "Of course I love you. But how can you stand there and tell me that you love me and then turn around and say that you love Fenris in the same breath?"

"If a mother has more than one child, does she love one more than the rest? Is she expected to choose between her children?"

"That's different and you know it. It's a completely different kind of love."

"Maybe so, but it is still love. We cannot dictate to our hearts what we want of them. We do not choose who we love. Tell me, did you make the conscious decision to fall in love with me or did it happen of its own volition?"

Anders shook his head as he averted his eyes. Defeat colored his voice. "No, when I fell in love with you, I had no choice in the matter."

"And can you so easily toss that love aside? Or do you continue to love me without any election of your own?"

Anders closed his eyes and tilted his head toward the night sky. He let out a long ragged breath.

"Even if I wanted to, I could not stop loving you Gabrielle."

Her voice betrayed the tears that were now forming in her eyes. "Then how could you expect any more from me? Contrary to popular belief, Anders I'm only human. I can't change the way I feel about either one of you, so I'm asking the both of you to compromise."

He turned to her once again. "Compromise has never been one of my strengths, Gabrielle, even before Justice. Now I find it almost impossible."

"So you're saying that it's over?"

He searched her eyes, pain reflecting in his own. "No, I cannot say that. I've spent too long tossing you aside in favor of my principles. I won't allow myself to do it anymore. I owe you my life, but that's not the only reason. Since I've known you, from the moment we met, you have been the one constant in my world. No matter how foolish or insane I became through the years you were always there by my side. I can no more stop loving you than I can stop breathing on my own, and I will love you until I take my dying breath."

"So what are you saying, Anders?" Her eyes were narrowed, her voice barely audible.

He placed his hands on her shoulders and stared deeper into her eyes. The tears that had formed in them made them brighter and more beautiful than ever. Standing there in her vulnerability, she took his breath away just as she had a million times before. He choked on his words, but managed to say them anyway.

"I'm saying that I love you. I'm saying that I want to be with you no matter what happens, if you'll have me. This will be no simple thing, but I am willing to compromise just to be with you."

A grin spread across her face as she threw herself into his arms. She hugged him more tightly than she ever had before. When she backed away, she pulled his face to hers and planted soft kisses all over his it. A sense of relief washed over him and he chuckled in spite of himself.

"Thank you, love. You don't know how much this means to me." she exclaimed happily.

Her smile and her enthusiasm made her appear almost childlike. He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her in the air which made her giggle. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen her that happy. It wasn't an easy decision, but in that moment he knew he had made the right one.

"So what now, my love?" His words were jovial and lighthearted.

Her face became more serious. "I'm not sure. I suppose that the three of us should really have a conversation."

Anders placed her feet back down on the hard wood beneath them. "Do you really think that's a good idea?"

"I don't see that we have a choice."

Anders grimaced. "I only have one request, actually more of a demand."

She gave him a questioning look. "What's that?" she asked.

"That I will not ever have to sleep in the same bed as the two of you."

Gabrielle snapped her fingers. "Damn. You saw right through my plan." she said sarcastically.

His tone and his face became stern. "I'm serious Gabrielle, I won't do it. Don't even ask me."

She curled her index finger around a lock of hair at his temple. She then stuck out her bottom lip in a pout and batted her eyelashes at him.

"Not even if I beg?"

"Not even if you got down on your knees." The smile crept back across his face.

She gave him a wicked grin. "Ooh. Kinky. That might actually be fun."

Anders shook his head and chuckled again. "What am I to do with you?"

"Love me." she answered sweetly.

"Already done." He bent his head down and kissed her.

He again wondered how any of it was going to work, but he was willing to give it his all to try. The one thing that gave him pause was wondering how Justice was going to take all of this. He supposed that he would cross that bridge when he came to it. For now, all he knew was that he loved her and she loved him and that's the only thing that made any difference.


	4. Chapter 4: Hawke's Dream

Gabrielle could see nothing. Everywhere she turned there was darkness. Every breath she took made her lungs feel like they were on fire. The acrid smoke burned her nostrils and her throat. The blackness surrounding her felt heavy and thick like a wool blanket covering her entire body. She circled around again and again, but the silence and the nothingness overtook her. She felt lost and helpless, like all of the world's hope was gone.

Suddenly, she heard a low rumbling in the distance. She ran blindly toward it. The sound became louder as she got nearer to its source. She felt like she was running, but going nowhere. Her surroundings remained dark and unchanging. Even though she had only started running, the muscles in her legs ached from the effort.

She thought that she saw a flash of light off originating from the same place as the sound. She continued to run. She saw the flash again and she wondered if it was lightening streaking across the sky in the distance. She looked up, but saw no stars or moon. It was a complete void. She willed her legs to move faster and sprinted toward the light and the sound as fast as her feet would carry her.

A tall black tower stood on an island which was surrounded by a calm dark lake. That must have been where the light was coming from. If she could just get to that tower, maybe she could find someone to give her answers, to tell her what was happening. She ran down a steep hill and saw a small pier with a lone boat tied to it. It had to be the way to cross the lake to the island.

As she neared the dock, she noticed that the rumbling had stopped and the world had become silent once again. She saw the figure of a person in black standing at the edge of the landing. From the height and the shape of the body, Gabrielle knew that it was a man. He lifted a golden staff high above his head as he let out a loud, guttural cry which pierced the quiet. The ground beneath her feet began to quake and large pieces of the tower started crumbling to the ground. The man threw his head back and laughed at the chaos that was surrounding him. As she got closer, she noticed that there was something lying at the man's feet. She was still too far away to know for sure, but it appeared to be a body. The man in black slammed the blunt end of his staff onto the weather aged boards of the dock.

Gabrielle examined the staff more closely and realized that it was familiar to her. Adorning the top of it was the figure of a nude Andraste giving herself willingly to the Maker. It was her father's staff, the staff that she had given Anders, the one he carried with him everywhere. It finally dawned on her that the man in black was Anders. What was he doing? She looked up toward the large building across the lake. Brick by brick, it was tumbling to the ground. She called out to her lover, but he did not hear her. He bent over the shadowy figure at his feet. Gabrielle saw the glint of a small blade just before Anders ran it across the throat of his victim.

Tears flowed freely from her eyes as her pace quickened. She had to get to him. She needed to know what was going on. When she finally reached the end of the pier, she stood just behind Anders and looked down at the body that was lying there. It was Alistair, king of Ferelden. He was dressed in heavy armor that bore the Therin family crest. Blood gushed from the king's open wound. His eyes were dead and cold. Spatters of deep red stained the silver plating that covered his lifeless frame. Seeing Alistair like that gave her pause. She wondered if she should confront Anders or run for her own life.

Before she could make that decision, Anders slowly turned to face her.

"Hawke." His voice was deep and other worldly. She saw a familiar bright blue light flash from his eyes. "How do you like it? It's all for us."

"Anders." She cried trying to get the mage inside to hear her. She had to get past the demon. A white apparition appeared beside him and it slowly took on Anders' form. It spoke to her in a ghostly voice.

"I'm sorry my love. I just wasn't strong enough to fight him anymore. Thank you for bringing happiness into my life, if only for a short time. Always remember that I love you. "

She reached out to the spirit as it faded from view. She burst into tears and fell to her knees as she called out his name again.

Then she felt a hand around her neck. The demon Anders lifted her from the ground and held her high in the air by her throat. She struggled to breathe and tried to pull his hand away. She flailed in the air kicking and clawing at him. The more she resisted, the tighter his grip became, until it felt as if he would crush her throat. The blue light in his eyes had spread throughout his entire body.

"Why do you fight me so, Hawke? You stood by me and spared me in Kirkwall, but Kirkwall was only the beginning. The Ferelden Circle has always remained a symbol of Anders' oppression and it had to be destroyed as well. Together, we will take down every Circle, every Chantry. Every templar will die at our hands. They will feel Justice's burn."

Gabrielle tried to protest, to say something but her air supply was being cut off and she was starting to black out. The demon pulled her close to him and placed his mouth over hers. She felt a rush of cold air enter her body as he breathed into her. The light was starting to fade from Anders' body. She realized that the demon was leaving him and entering her. The iciness of the demon's essence chilled her to her very core. She felt the world fading around her as she began to fight him again. She could feel his thoughts and his anger overtaking her.

Suddenly the darkness was replaced by a bright light that burned her eyes. She heard a voice, but couldn't understand what it was saying to her. She felt someone's arms around her and a hand on her face. She turned her head and vomited all over the ground beside her. When the wave of sickness subsided, she turned and saw Anders' face. Terror mired her own as she tried to scramble away from him but he only held her tighter.

"Gabrielle! Wake up!" he cried. "You're having a nightmare. Wake up love. I'm right here with you. I won't let anything happen to you."

"Get away from me, demon." She screamed.

Her words stung him down to his soul, but he continued to hold her. He grabbed her head and pulled her ear to his mouth and started whispering to her in soothing tones.

"Calm down, love. I'm here. I'm not going to hurt you. You are safe. The nightmare is over. Come back to me."

No matter what Anders said, Gabrielle continued to struggle against him as she tried to free herself from his embrace. Fenris, who had heard her cries from below decks, came bounding up the stairs, his sword drawn and ready for a fight. When he saw her trying to fight Anders off, he became enraged. The lyrium embedded in his skin glowed white hot as he dropped his weapon and ran to her. In one single fluid movement, he ripped Gabrielle from Anders' arms and simultaneously pushed the mage away from her. Anders landed hard on the floor, the air knocked from his lungs.

"What did you do to her, mage?" Fenris's voice was angry and threatening.

Anders shook his head, his own voice full of panic. "I didn't do anything. She was crying and thrashing about in her sleep. I tried to wake her as gently as possible, but she seems to be trapped in her dream."

Gabrielle was still in hysterics. She saw the demon lying on the floor. Someone had rescued her and was holding her tightly. Her body trembled as her breath came in short shallow gasps, her eyes wide with panic. She felt a warm hand smoothing her hair back. She buried her face in her savior's chest. He whispered to her in a language that she didn't understand.

"Dar atisha, ma sa' lath. Emma Sahlin."

She didn't have a clue what he said, but his words and deep voice soothed her. He continued to stroke her hair. Her breathing calmed and she stopped shaking. Where was she? Who was holding her? She shut her eyes tight. Her mind began to focus as she slowly returned from her waking nightmare. She began to remember everything that had just happened; Anders trying to calm her, the feelings of fear toward him, Fenris grabbing her, the elven words he whispered to her, and the dream. A cold shiver ran down her spine as she recalled her nightmare. Her thoughts were replaced by the feeling of her lover's embrace. She recognized the scent of Fenris's cologne and inhaled deeply. She opened her eyes and gazed into his. A small, worried smile crossed his lips.

Her voice cracked slightly as she spoke. "Ma serannas, ma'lath."

He beamed at her. "So you did hear and understand me."

She returned his grin. "It took me a few minutes, but yes. Merrill's a good teacher, isn't she?"

"Surprisingly, yes." His face became more serious, uncertainty clouded his eyes. "You frightened me, Hawke. What happened?"

"It was just a nightmare, Fenris. I'm fine." She tried to make her voice as reassuring as possible. She was still shaken by her vision and she felt like she was going to be sick again.

"Was it about the mage?" His voice was cold, his tone accusatory.

"It doesn't matter, Fenris. It's over now." It was all she could do to keep from emptying her stomach again. She sat there in his arms for a few more minutes, but she couldn't hold it in any longer. She leapt up and ran toward the ship's railing. She heaved mercilessly over the side. When the waves of sickness finally stopped, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and turned to survey her surroundings.

Fenris was standing behind her, his brow furrowed with concern. Merrill was sitting on the large crate with her arms wrapped around her legs, her knees pulled tight to her chest as she rocked back and forth. Varric was standing by the steps gaping at her, his crossbow still at the ready. Isabela was standing at the captain's wheel, staring at Gabrielle quizzically. The two crewman that Isabela hired were busy cleaning up the mess that Gabrielle had made on the deck earlier. But where was Anders? She searched for him with her eyes, but he was nowhere to be found. She needed to talk to him, to apologize.

"Hawke, are you sure you're okay?" Fenris asked.

"I'm fine Fenris." she lied. Her stomach was still lurching, but she was able to hold everything in for the moment. She wondered if it was seasickness. On the voyage to Kirkwall from Ferelden, she had never been sick once and she felt fine the night before. Maybe she was still feeling the effects of her dream.

Fenris kissed her cheek. "I suppose that you'll want to go find the mage now."

Gabrielle nodded. "Yes, I think I need to."

Fenris didn't say anything. He simply gave her a warm hug and stepped aside. Gabrielle walked down the steps and opened the door to the cabin below. She found Anders sitting in a corner. His head was tilted back, resting against the crevice and his eyes were closed. The floor creaked beneath her feet as she stepped toward him. He opened his eyes and jerked his head forward. He gasped when he saw her standing there and then jumped quickly to his feet.

"Gabrielle." She could hear in his voice that he had been crying.

She ran to him and threw her arms around his waist. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and rested his chin on the top of her head as he pulled her closer to him.

"I am so sorry Anders." Her tone was remorseful.

He pulled away from her so he could look into her eyes, his voice filled with desperation. "I just didn't know what to do. No matter what I said or did…you looked terrified of me. I would never hurt you, Gabrielle. Never. You know that don't you?"

"I know that Anders. It wasn't you I was afraid of."

"It was Justice, wasn't it?" His shoulders slumped.

"Yes."

"So what happened in this dream?"

"I don't remember, I just know that he frightened me." She lied to him because she didn't want the demon to know about her vision. Somehow she knew that it was more than a dream. It was a warning of what was to come if the demon wasn't stopped. The only problem was, she didn't know how to do it. She knew that even if Anders was killed, Vengeance would simply find a new host, and according to her dream, the host he wanted was her. She needed some time to think about her next course of action. As she stood there in Anders' arms, another wave of sickness hit her stomach. She barely had time to turn away from him before vomiting on the floor of the cabin.

As her retching continued, Anders placed a cool hand on her forehead. She felt the familiar tingle of magic trickle into her mind. Her heaving ceased, but she still felt queasy. She straightened her back and circled around to face him. Anders looked at her with concern.

"Did that help?" he asked.

"A little. I still feel nauseous, but at least I'm not vomiting anymore."

"I'm sorry Gabrielle, I tried to reach into your mind to find the cause, but I just can't figure it out. It has me completely puzzled."

She frowned. "It must be really bad if you can't do anything."

"Maybe it's just my state of mind right now, or maybe something in you is blocking my magic. I can try again later if you like."

Her lips curved into a slight smile. "I would appreciate that Anders. Thank you."

He ran his fingers through her dark brown hair. "I never thanked you for last night, by the way."

She looked confused. "For what?"

"For allowing me to hold you as you fell asleep. Of everything I've missed since we've been apart, I think that has to be what I missed the most."

"Really?" She was genuinely surprised.

"Don't get me wrong. I definitely missed other things as well, but having you sleeping on my chest, listening to you breathe, feeling your skin against mine…it's just the best feeling in the world."

Sadness overtook her face. "Then why didn't you stay that night? After we made love you said it was a mistake and walked out the door."

The thought of that night almost brought tears to her eyes again. She and Fenris had been together for several weeks. After Anders told her it was over, he stayed intoxicated most of the time, but it had been his decision to end it so she felt that there was nothing she could do for him. Then one rainy night, it had to have been about six weeks ago, he showed up at her door. He was drunk and soaked to the bone. He fell to his knees in front of her and begged her to forgive him. They ended up making love and when it was over, he left her once again. The one good thing that came from it was that he quit drinking. The worst thing was that he all but quit speaking to her entirely, at least until the day that the Chantry exploded.

"The only mistake I made that night was leaving you. I should have stayed. If I had, maybe everything would be different now." His voice came from somewhere far away.

She touched his cheek and turned his head so she could look into his eyes. "No regrets, Anders. We learn from this and move on. It's all we can do."

He nodded in agreement and then hugged her tight again. "I love you, Gabrielle."

"I love you too." she replied softly.

All of her fear subsided as she melted into his arms. She just wished that the sick feeling in her stomach was so easy to subdue. They stood there for a long moment before they released from their embrace and headed topside. Gabrielle knew that she would have to face a lot of questions from the others and she wasn't quite sure what she was going to say.

When they reached the deck, Merrill jumped up from her seat and ran to Gabrielle. She hugged her friend warmly.

"Hawke, I'm so glad your okay. You are okay aren't you?"

Gabrielle smiled at the elf. "Yes, Merrill. I'm fine."

"Thank goodness. We've all been worried sick, especially Fenris. He's been pacing up and down since you left."

Gabrielle glanced at Fenris. The elf was glaring at Anders. Varric approached her and tapped her shoulder lightly with his fist.

"Hawke's fine. Nothing to worry about, right my friend?" He tried to keep his words lighthearted, but Gabrielle heard the concern in his voice.

"Nothing at all Varric."

He gave her a slight nod.

"I hate to break up this little love fest," Isabela interrupted, "but we need to get back to reality."

"What's wrong Izzy?" Gabrielle asked.

The normally playful and sardonic pirate was all business.

"I need to know our bearing, Hawke. We can't continue wandering around aimlessly on the Waking Sea. We need to figure out where we're going, or we'll run out of supplies before we get there."

"Set a course for Denerim, Isabela." Gabrielle's tone was resolute.

"Denerim?" Fenris's attention turned to Gabrielle. He sounded both surprised and angry. "Have you lost your mind, Hawke? By the time we get there, the whole of Ferelden will have found out what happened in Kirkwall, and you want to go to the country's seat of power? We might as well just turn ourselves in or wear targets on our backs. We're as good as dead in Denerim."

"Then we'll just have to be careful." There was no trace of emotion in her face or voice.

"But why, Hawke? Why Denerim?"

"There's someone there I need to see."

Without another word, Gabrielle walked past her friends and approached the bow of the ship. As she looked out upon the vast expanse of ocean before her, she thought about the decision she had just made. Something inside, brought about by her vision of the night before, was compelling her to seek out the Hero of Ferelden. She didn't have a clue how she would get into the castle or even what she would say to her cousin. She just knew that Angelina Amell was the only one who may be able to help them.


	5. Chapter 5: A Brush With Death

Days passed since the sloop began to make its way to Denerim. Gabrielle had spent most of that time lying in bed in the captain's quarters. Isabela had willingly given up her cabin for her friend hoping that it would help make Gabrielle feel better, or at least help her be more comfortable. All of Gabrielle's companions were on edge with worry for their leader. Fenris and Anders took turns at her bedside, tending to her needs.

The first day that she had fallen ill, Anders was able to hold the sickness at bay with his magic, but by the second day it had ceased to work entirely. Gabrielle had no fever nor any other malady usually associated with disease. Her only symptom was unrelenting vomiting. At first, her friends tried to bring her every different type of fare they could find in the larders, but the smell and the sight of any type of food made her sick. After the second day, Anders requested that no more meals be brought to her. The best he could hope for was that she could at least keep water down so she wouldn't dehydrate.

The mage was perplexed. He just couldn't diagnose her ailment. He tried again and again to reach her mind, to find out what her affliction was, but something always blocked his probing magic. He had never seen its like before. All he knew was that if something didn't change soon, she would die. It was information he decided to keep to himself because he didn't want to worry the rest of their friends anymore than necessary.

As much as Anders hated Fenris, he appreciated the elf taking over for him at Gabrielle's bedside when he had reached the point of exhaustion and had to sleep. Fenris would lovingly wipe her brow with a cool cloth and whisper words of encouragement to her. It was a side of the elf that Anders had never seen before and didn't think he was capable of. As for Fenris, when he was sure that no one else was around, he would lie next to Gabrielle and hum softly to her as he brushed her hair away from her face with his fingertips.

Most of the time, she slept, but she would have occasional moments of consciousness. Those moments became fewer and farther between and started to only occur when she began to dry heave in her sleep. When that happened, she would hang her head over the side of the bed and try to bring up any contents that remained in her stomach. Once the wave of retching subsided, she would lie back on her pillow to let sleep overtake her again.

Just when things looked most grim, Gabrielle had a breakthrough. One night while Anders sat at her bedside she finally awoke without trying to vomit. The mage had fallen asleep in his chair with his hand resting over hers. He roused when he felt her body stirring beneath his arm as she tried to sit up.

"May I have a drink of water please?" Her voice was dry and hoarse. Anders jumped from his chair and rushed to the desk on the other side of the room. He poured a cup of water from the half-filled stone pitcher. He sent up a silent prayer of thanks to the Maker as he replaced the ewer back onto the wood. As he took the mug to Gabrielle, he also prayed that she would be able to keep the liquid down.

He started to hand the cup to her and then realized that she would probably be too weak to hold it. He sat down on the bed beside her and brought the water to her parched lips. As he watched her take small sips, he wasn't sure if he wanted to laugh or cry. He was so happy that she was awake and speaking, but it hurt his heart to see her in her present condition. She managed to smile up at him gratefully. Her lips were dry and flaking, devoid of all moisture save the drops of water that had trickled onto them from the cup. Her normal rosy complexion had faded to a dull gray. Her cheeks were gaunt and deep, dark circles marred the hollows of her eyes. Her irises, which were normally bright blue-green, had taken on a deep greenish-gray hue. Her eyes seemed to have sunk back into her skull and her hair had lost its normal sheen. She looked like nothing more than a living breathing corpse, a shell of the woman she once didn't matter what she looked like though. She was alive and seemingly better than she had been in days. That's all that mattered to Anders. He beamed at her. Tears of happiness streamed down his face as he bent down and kissed her forehead.

"You can't imagine what a relief it is to see you come back to me. I thought I had lost you there for a while."

She grinned at him. Her voice was barely above a whisper. "Don't be silly. You can't get rid of me that easily."

"Would you like another drink, love?"

She continued to smile at him and nodded. He held the mug as she drank. She was actually started gulping the water. Her chest burned as the liquid made its way down to her empty stomach.

"Not too fast, love, or you'll make yourself sick again." he scolded gently.

She continued to drink, but in small sips. She found it difficult to take the water in slowly. She was desperate to quench her searing throat. When she had emptied the cup, Anders sat it gently down on the bedside table.

"I suppose that I should go let everyone know that you're awake. They've all been worried sick."

She started to speak, but he covered her lips with his fingertips.

"Don't worry. I will let Fenris know first and I will make sure that he gets a few moments alone with you before the others come in."

Her grin widened as she nodded her approval. After the way Fenris helped to take care of her, Anders knew that it was the least he could do. The elf obviously loved Gabrielle deeply, which made the new arrangement regarding her much easier for Anders to deal with.

A few moments later, the door swung open and Fenris was standing before her. He slammed it behind him and quickly ran to her side. He grabbed her hand and knelt down by her bed. As his forehead touched the sheets, he broke down. Gabrielle had never seen Fenris like that before. She had never really been sure that he had the capability to cry. He squeezed her hand tighter as he continued to sob. It took a few minutes for him to gain his composure. He wiped the tears from his cheeks with his fingertips and moved to the other side of the bed. He lay down beside her and planted a kiss on each of her cheeks.

He tucked her hair behind her left ear as he grinned at her. He just couldn't stop staring at her face. No matter how sick she looked, at that moment she was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. For the first time in days, he could say with certainty that she was going to live.

"Why do you continue to frighten me like this?" He shook his head as he searched her eyes.

"Keeps you on your toes." She whispered hoarsely.

His tone became serious and stern. "Be that as it may, don't do it again Gabrielle."

She looked at him with surprise. He had only called her by her given name once before and that was during the second time they made love. Why would he call her that now? Since she had remained unconscious for the most part over the past few days, she wondered just how bad things had really gotten. They must have been pretty dire for Fenris to call her something other than Hawke.

Fenris licked his lips and touched them to hers gently. He knew that her lips would be sore from being so badly chapped, but he just couldn't stop himself. It only lasted a few seconds, but it was more than he could have hoped for earlier that day.

The door burst open once again as Merrill ran in and practically jumped on top of Gabrielle. The elf wrapped her arms tightly around her neck and then quickly released her.

"Oh, Hawke. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. It's just…I'm so happy that you're not going to die. I thought you were going to die, Hawke. You're going to be okay now, right? Please tell me you're going to be okay." Merrill's words came out in a babble. Her tattooed face was lined with worry and stained with her tears.

"I'll be fine, Merrill. I promise." Hawke smiled at the elf brightly.

"Ma serannas Hawke."

"Why are you thanking me Merrill?"

"For not dying of course." She said the words like it should have been obvious to Gabrielle.

"You're welcome…I guess." Gabrielle took that time to peer around the room. All of her friends were crowded in the small space. With all of the crying, she would have thought that they were attending her funeral. Even Varric and Isabela's eyes were glistening.

Gabrielle wasn't sure what was happening to her. Her stomach still felt queasy, but her survival instincts had finally kicked in and she was able to keep down the cup of water that she had just drunk. She knew that she wasn't quite ready for food yet, but at least it was a start.

One of the crewman appeared at the door. "Captain Isabela, there's a ship approaching."

Isabela's face went ashen as it turned from joy to fright.

"What kind of ship? Do you recognize the colors?"

"It's too dark to tell, Captain."

"Does it look like a ship from one of the Royal Fleets?" There was panic in her voice.

"No messere. It's a galleon to be sure, but it doesn't look royal."

"Be that as it may, is there any chance we can outrun it?"

"I don't think so captain. It's approaching pretty fast."

Isabela sighed loudly. "_This_ is why I hate small ships. No crew and no firepower to speak of. I'm not sure how we're going to defend ourselves, but we're going to have to try."

Gabrielle threw the blankets from her legs and started to put her feet to the floor.

"Oh no you don't." Isabela yelled. "You're more of a liability than an asset in your condition. I'll have Anders put your staff by your bed so if anyone makes it into this room you can defend yourself, but you will not join the fight otherwise. Fenris and Anders have been completely useless since you took ill, and I will not take the chance of losing my crew again because you want to get up before you're completely healed."

Gabrielle smirked at the pirate. She knew that it was Isabela's way of protecting her and telling her that she cared.

"Okay Isabela. I'll stay here, even though it goes against my better judgment."

"Well, keep your judgments to yourself and stay in that bed." Without waiting for a reply, Isabela took off at a run.

Merrill and Varric followed Isabela out the door and Anders left to retrieve Gabrielle's staff. Fenris, who was still on the bed beside her, put his hands to her face and stared into her eyes.

"I swear no harm will come to you, Hawke. I will protect you with my life."

"Be safe, Fenris. I'll be very cross with you if you end up dead."

Fenris snickered. "Cross indeed."

He kissed her quickly and ran out the door to join the others. A few minutes later, Anders came in carrying her staff. He placed it gingerly across her legs.

"I hope that you won't need to use that, but just in case…"

"I'll be fine Anders, no worries my love."

He smirked at her and shrugged. "You know me, love. I always worry. That's what I do."

"I love you. Stay safe."

"I love you, too. Hopefully this is nothing. I'll be back as soon as I can."

He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and walked out the door.

Above deck, Isabela watched as the larger ship grew closer. It was definitely not from the Royal Fleet, although she didn't recognize the colors. What she did recognize was the white flag being flung about by someone on the ship's deck. Another white flag was waving from the crow's nest. It was a good sign. At least whoever it was didn't intend to just open fire.

The five of them stood side by side waiting for the galleon to come closer. Isabela ran to the port side and called out into the night.

"I am Isabela, Captain of the Dark Maiden. What say you?"

An answer echoed from the larger ship. "We have one passenger who wishes to come aboard."

"For what purpose?"

"She says that she wishes to parlay."

Isabela circled around to the others. "What do the rest of you think? The ship's flag is flying white and it's just one to board to parlay. Should I grant permission?"

"I think the five of us can take on one person." Anders replied.

Isabela nodded sharply.

"What say you?" another call came from the ship. "Permission to come aboard?"

"Permission granted." Isabela called out.

Grappling hooks appeared from the side of the larger ship and landed on the deck of the Maiden. The small sloop was pulled in closer to the galleon. A large plank appeared and made a ramp between the two boats.

A figure in a hooded red cloak slowly made its way down the incline. As soon as the stranger's feet hit the deck of The Maiden, the large plank drew back into the galleon. As if moving of their own volition, the grappling hooks released themselves from the sloop's railings and flew high into the air. They landed with several loud thuds on the deck of the larger ship. As the galleon began to pull away, Isabela approached her ship's newest passenger.

"Typically, parlay means that you go back to your own ship." she said haughtily.

The woman in the cloak ignored the pirate. She did not remove her hood. Instead, she stood there silently, an ominous figure in blood red against the starless night sky. She lifted her head, but not enough to reveal her face.

"I would speak to the one called Hawke."


	6. Chapter 6: Surprise!

"Right here!"

Gabrielle's voice rang out from in front of the door leading to the captain's quarters. She was dressed head to toe in black leather. The bottom of her sleeveless duster swished around the ankles of her thigh high boots as she sauntered toward the stranger. She had obviously been very busy while the others were outside. She had washed up and her short dark brown hair was still damp. She had applied her make-up with such expertise that it was hard to tell that she had been at death's doorstep just hours before. The only things that really betrayed her face and showed her poor health were the dark circles under her eyes and the dull color of her irises. In her right hand, she carried a heavy black staff with a blood red crescent blade adorning the top. She looked as menacing and fierce as she ever had.

Anders and Fenris stepped aside so she could stand between them. She twirled her staff a couple of times and slammed the blunt end onto the wooden slats beneath her. She gripped her weapon tightly as she stood to her full height. She tried not to show it, but it was taking all of her strength to stand and she was using her staff as a sort of crutch.

The woman in the cloak shifted slightly and before Gabrielle could say a word, Anders cast a crushing prison at the stranger. The woman didn't even flinch, but walked right through the spell effortlessly, as if it wasn't even there.

"You're cheap parlor tricks will not work on me, mage." She said in a low voice.

Her accent and mannerisms of speech made it sound like she had just stepped out of a long dead ancient world.

Anders eyes widened and his voice cracked. "What are you?"

The hooded woman started to answer, but was interrupted by Fenris drawing his sword and charging at her. She flicked her wrist and held up her hand as if she were shooing a away a fly. As she completed the gesture, a blast of hot air shot from her palm and knocked Fenris back to the stern of the ship.

To the other side of Gabrielle, bright blue light began glowing from Anders body. He slammed his staff to the ground in order to charge it.

"Do not trifle with me, demon. Be gone." There was no trace of worry or fear in her voice. Instead she sounded haughty and irritated.

Before he could cast a spell, the strange woman hit him with a bolt of lightening. Anders was on his knees shaking his head; all traces of the demon had disappeared. The mysterious woman took a step toward Gabrielle, as if daring her to attack. At that point, Gabrielle was so weak that her knees felt like they might buckle beneath her at any second. She couldn't have attacked the woman if she wanted to.

"Now," the stranger began, "if your concubines are finished playing the knight in shining armor, I will tell you why I am here."

There was something oddly familiar about the woman's voice, like something Gabrielle had heard once in a faraway dream.

"Say what you came to say." Gabrielle's tone was even, betraying no emotion.

"You are in grave danger. I know that which you face. I have seen it just as you have."

Gabrielle assumed that the woman was referring to her dream, but how could she possibly know about it? She decided to listen rather than speak. The woman continued.

"We have a mutual friend you and I. And you are correct in your belief that 'tis she who can aid you in your endeavors. However, you will need my help as well or you cannot possibly hope to succeed for I know the old magic which you seek."

Gabrielle's eyes narrowed. "How do you know all of this? Who are you?"

The woman raised her hand to the hood that was covering her face and pulled it back. In doing so, she let the cloak fall from her shoulders. Standing in front of Gabrielle was a dark haired woman dressed in dark red silk and black leather. Her outfit almost looked like something one of the Chasind mages would wear, but with less material. The red satin draped over the middle of her shoulders and around her waist loosely, barely covering her ample bosom. On her left shoulder was a black leather pauldron that held a few brightly colored feathers and reached all the way down to her wrist. On her right arm a strip of black leather circled her bicep and on her hand she wore a long fingerless glove. Her skirts were fashioned from uneven strips of black leather and on her feet she wore tall black leather boots with many buckles and straps. Around her neck was a large intricate necklace made from different metals and minor gemstones. Her hair was pulled back into a loose bun which was held together by small black feathers and her bangs flowed loosely around her face. Her yellowish brown eyes narrowed as she peered at Gabrielle.

It took Gabrielle a few minutes to realize where she had seen the woman before. She was the other mage who was traveling with King Alistair and Angelina Amell when they passed through Lothering.

"You may call me Morrigan, and how shall I address you?"

"You can call me Hawke, Morrigan. You traveled with my cousin to help stop the blight."

"Tis true." Morrigan answered with a questioning look. "I do remember seeing your face once before, but your eyes are different now."

Gabrielle sighed as she let her guard down. Suddenly, her legs finally gave way and she crumpled to the ground.

"But you are unwell." The witch pointed to Anders. "You there, lapdog. Do you have any useful skills or are you simply here to act as window dressing?

"Excuse me?" Anders scoffed.

"You heard me. Are you going to help your mistress up from the floor or is it your intention to continue standing there looking stupid?"

Anders muttered curses under his breath as he scooped Gabrielle off the ground and placed her on a crate which was sitting against the railing. Morrigan stood in front of Gabrielle as Anders and Fenris took their places at Gabrielle's side. She decided to explain her illness to Morrigan. The woman said that she knew old magic; maybe she knew something that could help Gabrielle.

"I'm sorry about that, Morrigan. I have been very ill as of late. Anders can't figure out what it is and he's the best healer I've ever known."

Morrigan laughed. "He cannot be much of a healer if he cannot see what it is you suffer from. Tis obvious you are with child."

Gabrielle was in complete shock upon hearing Morrigan's words. "That can't be. I can't be pregnant. I'm not ready to have a baby."

She and Anders had actually talked about having a baby quite often, but being pregnant now with everything that was going on in their lives, the timing couldn't be worse. She wondered how Fenris was feeling about all of this. Did he even want children? Unlike Anders, Fenris never talked about children or marriage. What if he didn't want to be a father?

"Tis a little late to make that decision now, I'm afraid." She walked over to Gabrielle and squatted in front of her. She put her hand on Gabrielle's stomach and held it there for a few minutes. "Seven weeks since conception, give or take a few days, upon my estimation." She stood and stepped back a few paces.

Gabrielle's mind started racing. She had no idea how long she had been in that bed, but the time frame that Morrigan gave her made her wonder. She had to know.

"Anders?" her voice was shaking.

"Yes, love?"

"How long since this sickness started?"

"A little over a week." He choked on the words slightly.

She could tell by the way his voice cracked that they were thinking the same thing. That was right at the time that the two of them had sex. The night that Gabrielle cheated on Fenris. Morrigan surveyed them both with a knowing look.

"And there is one more thing that I think you might want to know…there are two."

Gabrielle was puzzled. "Two what?"

"Why two babes of course." Morrigan said matter of factly.

"Twins?"

Even as Gabrielle said the word, she could scarcely believe it. How could she be pregnant with twins? Her brother and sister were twins, but she thought that the trait always skipped a generation. The whole situation was unreal. What made it even worse was the fact that now she wasn't sure if the father was Anders or Fenris. When Morrigan told her that she was pregnant, she automatically assumed that the baby belonged to Fenris. But the timing was too close to be certain. With Fenris, she always tried to use contraceptive potions but there were two times that she forgot. The last time she forgot was the night before she slept with Anders.

She knew that Fenris would assume that the babies were his. How was she going to tell him the truth? She had always tried to be so honest with the people she was close to, but that night with Anders was the one secret she had kept from Fenris. Since Anders walked out on her again after it happened, she thought it was better not to tell Fenris to keep from hurting him. Now she had to tell him about it. She had tempted fate and it came back and knocked her on her ass.

Gabrielle took a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she reopened them she saw Morrigan staring at her, studying her.

"Okay, so now that we have that news out of the way, let's talk about this danger you spoke of."

Morrigan tilted her chin and crossed her arms. She peered at the two men on either side of Gabrielle. "I think that is something that is better to be discussed in private."

Gabrielle was just about to ask Fenris and Anders to leave them alone, when Morrigan interrupted.

"But, I believe you have some discussions of your own to take care of this evening. You and I shall converse on the morrow. For now, I hope that one of your other companions can find a place for me to sleep."

"Of course." Gabrielle gave the woman a quick bow of her head. She called Merrill over and asked the elf to find Morrigan a comfortable place to sleep. As Morrigan and Merrill walked away, Merrill started babbling. Gabrielle began to wonder if she made a mistake in choosing the person who would accompany the strange woman. She hoped that Merrill would be safe since she wasn't sure what Morrigan might do if she got too annoyed with the elf. Anders touched her shoulder.

"We need to talk, love. Perhaps in the captain's quarters?"

Gabrielle looked up at Fenris. He seemed to be worlds away. His deep green eyes darted back and forth with his thoughts. She took both of his hands in hers and he turned to her as if waking from a dream.

"Fenris, do you mind if I talk to Anders in private for a few minutes?"

Fenris's eyes blinked several times as if he was trying to comprehend what she just said. He pulled his hands away from hers.

"What?...Oh yes…yes that's fine. I think I need to be alone tonight anyway."

"Are you sure?" Her eyes narrowed. She started to worry about him. "Are you going to be okay?"

He nodded his head quickly. "Yes…go on. I'll be fine. We'll talk tomorrow…I think we _need_ to talk tomorrow."

"If you're sure." She hesitated.

"Dammit woman, just go." he said crossly.

He was definitely in one of his moods. Gabrielle hadn't seen that side of him in quite a while, but she knew enough to stay out of his way when he got like that. She didn't say another word to him, but instead attempted to kiss him on his cheek. He turned his face away from her making it obvious that he didn't want her affections right then. His rejection stung her like pelts of ice on her bare skin, and his countenance was just as cold. Before she had time dwell on it, Anders took her by the hand and directed her to the cabin. Right before they reached the door, he pulled her close and whispered in her ear.

"You can kiss _me_ anytime you want."

His words made her smile. He always had a knack for knowing just what to say to make her feel better. She pulled his face to hers and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

"Are you going to spend the night?" she whispered into his ear.

He didn't answer but grinned widely as he opened the door and put a hand to her back as he led her through. Gabrielle walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. Anders approached her and stroked her hair.

He spoke softly to her. "You need to lie down, love. After what you've been through this past week and given your…delicate nature…"

After what she had just faced on deck, his words irritated her slightly.

"Anders, I am anything but delicate." she protested.

He kissed the top of her head. "Normally I would agree with you, but you still haven't recovered. Anybody can see how weak you are right now…and with the pregnancy…you just need your rest."

"But…"

His tone became stern like a father scolding his child."I'm not going to argue the point with you Gabrielle. I'm telling you as your healer, you need to lie down."

A small part of her wanted to argue with him, to tell him to stop treating her like some fragile flower, but the biggest part of her just wanted to rest. Something inside her just couldn't let him think that he won, though. She considered standing, just on principle, but couldn't muster the strength.

She crossed her arms in a huff. "Fine, but don't think you've won. I'm just tired."

She was being quite insolent and childish about the whole thing. She just didn't like for anybody to tell her what to do and she didn't like being treated like she was made of glass.

Anders turned his back to her to pour her another cup of water. He shook his head and snickered under his breath. "Yes, love."

She ignored his patronizing tone and lay back on the bed. He handed her the filled cup and while she drank, he loosened her boots and carefully removed them. After she finished the water, he placed the cup back on the bedside table. She sat up again and tried to undress herself, but to her irritation she just couldn't make her limbs work the way she wanted. She didn't want to ask Anders for help, so instead she blew at her bangs and glared at him with exasperation. He grinned at her smugly.

"Would you like me to help, love?"

If she could have raised her arm that high, she would have slapped the smile right off his face.

"Fine, you win. Happy now?"

His smile widened. "I don't know what you're talking about, love"

She continued to glower at him as she held her arms out in defeat. He approached her cautiously, just in case she could find the energy to take a swing at him and began undressing her. When she was stripped down to nothing but her small clothes, his eyes lingered on her almost naked form for a few moments. She could see the lust dancing in them. His chest rose up and down faster as his breathing became more shallow. Suddenly he turned his back to her.

"I...I'm sorry love. I guess I just forgot myself for a moment."

"It's okay Anders, it's kind of nice to have you look at me that way again."

When he turned to face her, he was holding a long soft white shirt. He averted his eyes while he pulled it over her head and helped her put her arms through the long sleeves. Once it covered her completely, he gently laid her down again and covered her with a soft, thick blanket. He searched her eyes.

"Just so you know, I've never stopped looking at you in that manner." He glanced at the floor and turned his back to her once more.

"Are you sure you want me to stay, love?" He asked quietly.

"Yes." she whispered hoarsely.

Anders stripped down to his breeches. He slid onto the bed and rolled over onto his left side.

"I hate to see you like this, love. Would it be okay if I tried something?" he asked.

She looked at him suspiciously. "As much as I would love to..._you know_. I'm not sure I have the strength tonight."

He chuckled. "No, nothing like that, but I like the way your mind works. I was just wondering if I could use magic to give you some of my strength."

Gabrielle's eyes narrowed. "I notice you didn't mention this before."

Anders looked up at the ceiling and pursed his lips together. "I guess I just didn't think of it."

She wanted to be mad at him, but he was just so damn cute when he made that face that she couldn't be.

"Sure you didn't" she said sarcastically. She glared at him for a few seconds and then sighed. "Actually it would be really great if you could do anything at this point."

He smiled sweetly as he reached up and brushed the dark hair from her face. He put his fingertips on her temples and she felt the familiar trickle of his magic enter her head. As it flowed slowly through her body, she got the sensation of slipping into a hot bath from the top down. Her muscles warmed and began to tingle. Every part of her relaxed as he let his gift work its way to her toes. When he had finished she felt refreshed, like she could do anything. Anders, however, was visibly weakened.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" she asked with concern.

"I'll be fine. My mana regenerates fairly quickly. Do you feel any better?"

"Yes, I feel like I could swim to Denerim." she grinned.

"I wouldn't try it if I were you." he laughed. "The effects are temporary, and the sensation is far greater than the actual strength it gives your muscles. But it should help you function somewhat normally as long as you don't try to overexert yourself."

"Thank you, Anders."

He touched the tip of her nose with his fingertip. "You are very welcome."

He looked down at her belly. His countenance was one of both hopefulness and sorrow as he moved his hand down to her stomach

"You don't think…?"

She stared into his amber eyes. She realized that his dark blonde hair was no longer tied back, but flowed freely around his face. She found herself breathing a little harder as she stared at him. She always found his masculine form and rugged good looks even more attractive when his soft underbelly of vulnerability was exposed. She knew he was hoping that the babies were his.

She spoke softly, trying to reassure him. "I think that there might be a possibility, considering the time frame."

He rubbed her stomach lightly. A small, sad smile traced his lips.

"That's amazing." he whispered.

"What is?"

"All this time, I was trying to figure out what was wrong with you, but it was blocked from me. Now that we know, I can feel them. One more than the other for some reason, but I can still feel them both."

She had played this scene out in her head so many times when they lived together. She would find out that she was pregnant and it would make him the happiest man in Thedas. She briefly wondered if things would have turned out differently if that would have happened.

"I love the thought of being a father, especially if you are going to be the mother of my children." He smiled at her, but his eyes betrayed his sadness. "How many times did we talk about having children together?"

"At least once a week, as I recall." She could see where the conversation was going and her heart was breaking for him.

He removed his hand from Gabrielle's abdomen and flopped down onto his back. He placed his right arm across his stomach and covered his eyes with his left forearm, his muscular biceps flexing as he did so. He sighed heavily.

"We were together for almost three years and I know that in all that time we were never careful about preventing a baby, yet you didn't get pregnant. I also know of only one other Warden who had a child after his joining and that was Alistair. I think for my own sanity, I just need to face the reality that Fenris is the father of these twins."

She already knew that his thoughts were turning that way. It was a fact that had already crossed Gabrielle's mind as well. Anders was a Grey Warden and his blood contained the taint. The chances that he could father a child were almost nonexistent.

She propped her head on her fist. She watched him as he lay there, breathing unevenly. She knew Anders well enough to know that he was trying to hold back his tears. She wanted to be able to say or do something to help ease his pain. She wished with every part of her that she could tell him that he was the twins' father.

It wasn't that she didn't want to have children with Fenris, but as far as she knew, there was no reason why he couldn't sire a child. For Anders to be a father, it would almost take a miracle. She loved Anders so much and she yearned to give him the one thing he wanted more than anything.

Anyone else who didn't know Anders as she did would say that all he desired was freedom for mages, but she knew better. It was an ideal that was borne from a demon. Throughout the years they had spent together, he told Gabrielle countless times that before Justice, all he cared about was his own freedom. Just like her father, Anders only wanted to live his life as he saw fit. Justice was the one who told him that he should strive to help all mages be free. Justice was the one who pushed him to sacrifice everything for that cause. Gabrielle believed that all mages should be free as well, but unlike Anders, she didn't let that belief consume her. She helped mages as she could, but never to the exclusion of all else.

After he moved in with her and up until the last six months that they lived together, Anders had made her his number one priority. His cause was put on the backburner and he dedicated his life to her. In his downtime, he would still work on his manifesto occasionally, but that was the extent of it. On occasion they would hear about a mage that needed help, but he always left it up to her to decide whether they would lend aid in that aspect. She got to see that side of him that no one else could see or understand. Beyond Justice and beyond Vengeance, in his heart he was a good man. That was the man she loved and through everything else that he did, that was the man she held onto.

She gently pulled his arm away from his face. His amber eyes glistened as he looked to her to say something to comfort his tortured soul. She said the only thing she could think to say.

"I love you, Anders. This changes nothing about my feelings for you."

He placed his forearm across his forehead and stared at the ceiling. "What if Fenris decides that he wants the four of you to be a real family? Where would I fit in to that scenario? What if he decides that you have to choose? I can't bear the thought of losing you again, Gabrielle."

"You will not lose me Anders." She vowed. "Through everything that has happened, all the times you have turned from me, I was always there waiting for you to return. You are a part of me and you always will be."

He turned his face to hers and studied it for a few moments. "Are you sure that's what you really want? You deserve to have a real family, a real life. Being with me…you'll never have that."

Gabrielle shook her head. "That's not true Anders. It may not be a normal family, but who wants normal? And what could be better for the children than to have two fathers who adore them?"

Anders was incredulous. "You don't really believe that Fenris would agree to that, do you?"

Gabrielle hardly believed what she had just said herself. How was she supposed to convince Anders, let alone Fenris? Still, she didn't see how it would work any other way. She also wanted Anders to feel like he was the children's father as well. More likely than not, it was the only way Anders would ever have that experience. She removed his arm from his forehead and slid his hand back down to her belly. She used both of her hands to press his tighter against her abdomen. When she moved her hands away, his remained where she had placed it. A small smile crossed his lips as he looked down at his hand. He took it away long enough to roll back onto his left side and replace it with his right one. He propped himself up with his left arm and leaned into her. He kissed her lips softly.

"Goodnight, love."

She could see his want for her all over his face. It was obviously taking all of his fortitude to maintain control. Gabrielle ran her fingers through his hair and pulled his face to hers. She kissed him like she would drown without him breathing into her. She ran her hands down his back and pulled him closer. He returned her kiss with an intensity that equaled her own.

"I need you, Anders." she groaned.

Without a word, he trailed his lips across her cheek and down to her neck. He sucked softly at the skin over her collarbone. She moaned as her breathing became more uneven. He rolled her over onto her back, sliding his strong arms behind her shoulders until his hands were tangled in the hair at the back of her head. His hot breath on her skin set her aflame as he made his way back up and covered her mouth with his. His tongue explored her mouth as he positioned himself between her legs. She felt his manhood pressing hard against her. Maker, it had been so long since she had felt him touch her like that. Even her soul ached for him. She raked her fingernails across his bare back as he nipped at her earlobe.

"Are you sure you're up for this, love. After everything you've been through I would understand if you want to wait." He whispered in a husky voice.

She grabbed his head with both of her hands this time and gave him another sultry kiss. She bit his bottom lip and stared into his amber eyes.

"I've never wanted anything more than I want you right now." she whispered hoarsely.

He removed his left hand long enough to pull down his breeches. He slid it back behind her head and then covered her mouth in a long, slow kiss while he entered her. The feel of him made her lurch upward as she crossed her legs behind his back. His thrusts remained slow and steady as he continued to kiss her deeply. She became lost in the throes of passion, in his kiss and his touch. She had almost forgotten how sensual the man could be. He took his lips from hers long enough to gaze into her eyes, his rhythm unrelenting and unchanging.

She felt his stomach muscles jerk as he lunged forward and planted his lips on hers.

"I love you." His voice was breathless and desperate. He pushed into her hard as he found his release. She felt the tingle of his magic as he came inside of her which caused her own orgasm to begin. Pleasure washed over her entire body as she rocked against him and dug her nails into his biceps and back. When the last wave subsided, he propped himself up on his forearms and looked at her with concern.

"I didn't hurt you did I?" he asked.

She smirked. "If by hurting me you mean gave me one of the best sexual experiences of my life…then yes."

Anders chuckled as he slid his hand down to Gabrielle's waist and tickled her. She giggled and squirmed and kicked beneath him. She loved this playful side of him. He would make a great father. She felt a small pang in her chest at that thought. She hoped that Fenris would be reasonable and understanding. Anders must have noticed her sudden change in mood.

"I'm sorry, did I hurt you? Sometimes I don't realize that…"

Gabrielle interrupted him. "No, sweetie you didn't hurt me. I'm just getting a little tired I guess."

He smiled at her and brushed her hair back. "After the day and the week that you've had, I can only imagine. So are you ready to get some sleep?"

She nodded in answer. He kissed her nose and rolled over onto his back. She snuggled up close to him and draped her left arm across his chest. She lifted her face and he bent down to kiss her one last time for the night.

"Goodnight, love." he whispered softly.

"Goodnight, sweetheart." she replied. "I love you."

"I love you too."

The feel of his arm wrapped around her shoulder and his hand brushing her bangs away from her face brought a comfort to her that she hadn't felt in a very long time. Although she and Fenris had been in a relationship, they rarely spent the night together. She missed having someone sleep in bed alongside her. She had to admit to herself that part of it had nothing to do with loneliness, though. She had missed Anders' warmth and the feeling of his body against hers. She missed the way his arms made her feel safe and secure. She simply missed Anders. As she lay there, wrapped up in the comfort of Anders' warm embrace, she drifted off into a happy, deep dreamless sleep.


	7. Chapter 7: Fenris's Dilemma

A baby…no two babies…with Hawke. Having children was nothing Fenris had ever thought about before. He spent most of his adult life as a slave or on the run. Up until six months ago when he killed Danarius, he had to constantly look over his shoulder. He could never let his guard down enough to get close to anyone. Hawke was the only person he had ever confided in and it took years for him to fully trust her.

Hawke and the mage had retired to the captain's quarters and everyone else, besides the crewmen, had gone below. Fenris had been pacing up and down since Hawke had left the deck. She tried to make sure he was okay. She even tried to kiss him on the cheek, a simple loving gesture, and he turned away from her. He looked toward the door of the captain's quarters. Why had he done that? He could only imagine how much he had hurt her feelings with that rejection. A feeling of guilt struck him in his gut. Of course Anders had been there to comfort her, as usual. Why would he do something to push her even further into his arms? He saw her kiss him on the cheek before they disappeared behind the door. How could he have given the mage an opening like that?

He never intended to hurt her feelings; he just really needed to be alone right then. He needed some time to think. He made his way to the bow of the ship and leaned over the railing. He looked out over the black water. The sea was fairly calm considering there were no stars out that night. He closed his eyes and felt the breeze cool his skin and ruffle his silver hair. He was going to be a father. The concept was as alien to him as the land they were traveling to. He had recovered most of his childhood memories upon meeting his sister, but he never remembered having a father. He supposed that his own sire had been sold into slavery when he was very young, or maybe he was born of some tryst his mother had with another slave in her magister's service. Either way, he had no real idea what it meant to be a father.

Given the date of conception that the witch had given Hawke, there was another possibility. There was a good chance that Anders was the father of these children. Fenris had been with Hawke both the night before and the night after she had been with the mage. He wondered if she would tell him about it now or if she just intended to let him believe that the twins were his. No…Hawke would tell him. She was the type of woman who stood by her convictions and did things because she believed they were right. And it wasn't as if she carried on an affair with Anders behind his back. It was only one night and Anders became very cold toward her after it was over. In any event, Fenris had decided to forgive her for her indiscretion and move on.

Now Fenris was faced with the possibility that the woman he loved was going to have another man's children. He wondered where his place would be if Anders turned out to be their father. Would she tell Fenris that she wanted a real family with Anders? What if Anders made her choose? He imagined that she would want to stay with the father of her children. There were enough what if's and maybes running through his mind to fill a chasm.

The other thing that worried him was the babies themselves. Fenris knew that the lyrium that was etched into his skin tainted his blood and his other bodily fluids. He was keenly aware of the fact that the substance was passed through his seed. Hawke had told him as much. What would that do to a child? Would it cause any kind of deformities? Hawke was a very powerful mage and there was a good chance that these children would be mages as well. What would lyrium in their blood do to them? Would they be corrupted because of it?

Fenris finally opened his eyes again. The salty spray of the waves hitting the boat stung his eyes. He was suddenly feeling very tired from the events of the long day and night. He found himself both emotionally and physically exhausted. He rolled his head from one side to the other trying to loosen up his stiff neck. His head was throbbing, like all of the veins in his scalp were going to explode at once. He needed to stop thinking. He needed sleep. He made up his mind to get up early the next morning and talk to Hawke before anything else happened. As he headed to the stairs that lead below decks he stopped outside the door to the captain's quarters. For a brief second, he considered knocking, but decided against it. He didn't want to disturb Hawke. After the way Fenris had treated her earlier, Anders deserved to have some time with her.

That thought surprised him a bit. Maybe he was finally starting to warm up to the mage. Fenris always thought that Anders was petty and selfish, not to mention a complete hypocrite. On the other hand, over the past week, he had witnessed Anders take care of Hawke selflessly. Fenris had to practically drag the mage out of the room when he thought that Anders had driven himself to the point of exhaustion caring for her. Gone was his usual ceaseless banter over the plight of mages. Every action, word and thought was about Hawke. Maybe things weren't as dire as they seemed. Maybe they all really could work something out…but he would have to think about that tomorrow. For now, he needed to get some rest.

When he found an empty hammock below decks, he made himself as comfortable as he could. At first, he found it hard to keep his mind from wandering. After seeing Hawke so close to death over the past week, he worried about her. He knew that she still had not eaten anything and wondered if she might revert back to where she been that morning. At least Anders was there to take care of her. He actually took comfort in the knowledge that she was with Anders and that thought surprised him. He made the decision that he and Anders needed to have a conversation of their own.

His head was pounding in his ears. The pain was getting worse by the second. He wished that he could do something, anything to make it stop. Then he thought of Hawke. He poured all of his concentration on thoughts of her. He pictured the way she looked the first time she spent the night in his bed with him. Lying there with her head resting on his chest, the sunlight reflecting in her hair, the feel of her bare skin against his, the subtle movements of her body as she breathed softly and evenly…that was the memory he always kept of her and every time he thought about it, he fell in love with her all over again. The throbbing in his head began to dull, his muscles relaxed, and his breathing became easier. His last thought before sleep overtook him was of her opening her bright blue-green eyes and smiling at him as if she were the happiest woman in the world.


	8. Chapter 8: Secrets

Gabrielle awoke to a loud tapping on the cabin door. She squinted her eyes as the sun shone through the small windows on either side of the bed. She felt Anders body lying next to her so she snuggled in closer to him and nuzzled her face against his neck. Another knock. She let out an exasperated breath and tried to roll over to get out of bed. Anders' muscular arms tightened around her shoulders and pulled her into his bare chest.

"If we ignore them, maybe they'll go away." He whispered. He kissed her forehead. "So, how are you feeling this morning?"

She sighed contentedly as she beamed up at him. "I feel amazing."

Anders gave her a quick peck on the lips. "Yes, you do."

She giggled as she brushed his unbound hair away from his face. Her body quivered slightly as she stared into his amber eyes. He was the most gorgeous man she had ever met. She ran her fingers across his scruffy jaw and kissed him softly. She wanted him. More than anything she wanted to stay in that bed all day and make love with him over and over again. She recalled them doing that exact thing many times when they lived together. They would shut the world out and just revel in each other for an entire day. When they were hungry, Anders would call down the stairs for Bodahn to bring them up a tray and then after they ate, they would be all over each other again. Thinking about those days made her want him even more. She pushed him on his back and kissed him as she straddled him. She could feel him throbbing against her. She moved her hips so he could enter her easily. Another knock, this one was louder than the rest.

"Hawke, I need to speak with you." Fenris called through the door.

Gabrielle flopped onto Anders' chest and lingered there for just a moment before rolling off of him and onto her back.

Anders cleared his throat. "I guess I should probably answer that, shouldn't I?"

Gabrielle sighed heavily. "I'm sorry Anders, but Fenris and I do need to talk about…well, everything."

"I know. As much as I hate it, you're right. You do need to talk to him."

He kissed the tip of her nose and rolled over to put his big feet to the floor. When he stood to put his clothes on, Gabrielle sat up in bed to admire his chiseled body, especially his buttocks. He had the most perfect ass she had ever seen. After he was dressed in his trousers, boots and white shirt, he tied his hair back and then opened the door.

"Good morning, Fenris." He said with a cheerful smile.

"Morning." Fenris replied darkly.

Anders bent and retrieved his jacket, tunic and pauldrons from the floor. He carefully draped them across his right arm. He then hurried over to the other side of the bed and gave Gabrielle a quick peck on the lips.

"I'll see you in a bit, love."

Gabrielle nodded and smiled. She turned to look at Fenris who was brooding and sullen. After Anders had shut the door behind him, Fenris walked around to Gabrielle's side of the bed. She pulled her legs up to her chest to make room for him to sit. She regarded him coldly. She was still incensed over the way he treated her the night before.

"So are you in a better mood this morning?" she asked. Her tone was icy and acrid.

Fenris bowed his head and looked at his feet. "The way I treated you last night…It was uncalled for and I apologize."

Gabrielle rose to her knees behind his back and draped her arms around his shoulders. She nuzzled her cheek to his.

"I just can't understand why you were acting that way, Fenris."

He took her hands in his and kissed her right palm softly. "I guess it was just a lot to take in at once. The thought of having a child…it frightens me."

Gabrielle knew that she had to tell him the truth and it seemed like as good a time as any. She let out a long sigh as she moved to his side. She tucked her right leg under her and let her left dangle from the bed. She took Fenris by the hands and he turned to face her.

"There's something I need to tell you, Fenris." He was gazing into her eyes, his own filled with worry. Maker, she didn't want to do this. She wasn't sure what his reaction would be. Maybe he would finally give up on her. She could hardly blame him if he did. She had betrayed his trust, something she had sworn that she would never do.

"Don't" His voice was barely above a whisper.

"What?" she asked, curiously.

His eyes trailed to her hands. He stroked the back of them with his thumbs. "Its okay Hawke, I already know…about you and the mage I mean."

She was stunned. How could he have found out about that? She never told another soul and she knew that Anders wouldn't say anything, especially after walking out the way he did.

"But how could you…?" she began.

He pulled her hands up to his face and kissed the backs of them, letting his lips linger on her soft skin for a long moment.

"It does not matter…I forgave you for it a long time ago. I just wish that you would have trusted me enough to tell me the truth." His sorrow filled eyes gazed into hers. "Just swear to me that you will never keep anything like that from me again. Even if you think that what you have to say will tear me apart, swear it to me and I will never doubt you."

Her eyes turned from sadness to desperation. "I swear to you Fenris, I will always be honest with you and never do anything to betray your trust again…I am so sorry that I hurt you."

"It is done."

Passion suddenly flared in his eyes. His right hand moved to the back of her head. As he pulled her toward him, he leaned into her and kissed her hungrily. He broke away from her and looked down at her body. He put his hands on the collar of her shirt and ripped it open until her front was completely exposed to him. He pulled his leather breeches down just far enough to expose his throbbing manhood. He pulled the tattered shirt from her arms as his tongue traced the muscles up the left side of her neck. His heavy breath felt hot against her cool skin. She grabbed a fistful of silver hair as she buried her face into it. His hands explored her naked body while his teeth nipped at her tender flesh. The smell of the sea air mixed with his sweat and cologne was pushing her into a frenzy.

She laid back onto the bed, pulling him down with her. Suddenly, he stood and then flipped her onto her stomach. He leaned over and let his left hand slide up to cup her breast. His right hand moved down. He touched her sensitive spot as he thrust himself inside of her. He continued to pound into her as he fondled her breast and rubbed his fingers against her. He pushed himself into her again and again. He bent down and ran his tongue across her back. It seemed like they were locked together like that for hours, but Gabrielle didn't care. She didn't ever want him to stop. She felt his manhood growing larger as he got ready to release inside of her. Pleasure overtook her as she buried her face into the mattress to mask her screams of ecstasy. All at once her orgasm took over her body. She shook from head to toe as she ground her ass into his groin. As the waves began to subside, he grabbed her hips and his body stiffened as the familiar sensation of lyrium entered her. She exploded into orgasm again, rocking her hips against him as she came. He grabbed her around her waist and thrust into her one last time as her body quivered in the final stages of her release.

He lingered like that for a moment before loosening his hold on her and flopping down on the bed beside her. He reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear as he took in her face. He appeared concerned.

"That was okay, right?" His voice was raspy, yet tender. "I mean, I didn't hurt you did I?"

She grinned. "That was _so_ much better than okay."

He scolded himself. "I probably shouldn't have done that, and definitely not that rough. I…I just couldn't stop myself. I apologize."

She chuckled lightly. "Fenris, there's nothing to apologize for. Believe me, I enjoyed it and you didn't hurt me."

He looked down at her stomach and frowned. "You don't think that it…"

"Fenris, they are very well protected in there, especially being as small as they are. Don't worry, lover." She playfully tapped his chin with her index finger. "Now in a few months that will probably be a different story."

He smiled at her. "You're a beautiful woman, Hawke. Motherhood suits you I think."

She grimaced. "You probably won't think that when I become a big fat bronto."

He sighed. "I think that the round belly will only add to your beauty."

"Yeah, you say that now…"

"Hawke, I will always find you beautiful." His face became somber again.

"What's wrong, Fenris?" concern mired her voice.

He took a deep breath and let it out. "I'm afraid, Hawke…afraid to let myself get too close."

Gabrielle's brow furrowed. "What do you mean, lover?"

"I have thought about it a great deal since last night. At first I wasn't sure that I even wanted to be a father, but the idea has started to grow on me. Now I'm faced with the dilemma of whether or not to let myself become attached to these children…just in case…"

Gabrielle shook her head. "Fenris, do you know anything about Grey Wardens?"

He looked confused. "A little, why?"

She glanced down at the bed for a moment as if trying to find the words. In reality she was trying to hide her sorrow for Anders. Her troubled eyes met his.

"Anders and I talked about having children often when we were together before, but we both knew that the chance of me bearing his child was minute at best. You see, when a person becomes a Warden, they are made to drink the blood of the darkspawn so they can better hear the beasts and know their movements. That taint is in the Wardens' blood. It makes having children very, very difficult. King Alistair of Ferelden is the only Warden I have even heard of that was able to do it."

Gabrielle could see relief wash across Fenris's face, which made her heart feel conflicted.

"So you see," she continued, "The chances that Anders is the father of the twins…"

Fenris tried to maintain his even countenance, but his eyes betrayed his joy. "I would like to say that I'm not happy about that fact, but I can't Hawke. This news puts everything in a new perspective."

Gabrielle grabbed his shoulder and looked at him pleadingly. "Just remember, Fenris…remember how you felt a few minutes ago. How you were worried that you would be shut out of my life if Anders' was the father of these babies. He wants children so badly, and even if they are not his, he could still play a fatherly role in their lives. If they were his, I would not allow you to be cast aside and I would ask him to extend you the same courtesy."

Fenris searched her eyes as if he were searching for answers on what he should do. He watched a tear stream down her pale cheek.

"Please…please at least think about it…for my sake."

Fenris nodded his agreement. "I will think on this, Hawke, but I can make no promises right now."

She gave him a small sad smile. "I understand…Thank you."

He kissed her softly. "The others are probably wondering where we are, and the witch doesn't seem like a patient woman."

Gabrielle sighed. "Just let me get cleaned up first."

Fenris stood and helped her off the bed. "I'll wait for you outside the cabin."

After the door was shut, Gabrielle started to get ready for the day. Maker, she hoped this would all work itself out. She didn't want to have to choose. She didn't think she could choose if she tried. There was so much that she loved about both men and her heart ached at the thought of losing either one. For now, though, she needed to focus on the task at hand. She had at least another seven months before she had to worry about the babies.

She washed up and finished dressing. She chuckled to herself as she thought about the fact that she would have to buy all new clothes soon. Isabela would be in heaven at the thought of a shopping spree. Gabrielle took one final glance in the mirror before heading to the deck. She was still pale and her eyes were still dull, but she looked a damn site better than she had the night before. The queasiness in her stomach was still nagging at her, but she would just have to ignore it for now.

It was time to face Morrigan and her future. Something inside her told her that it wasn't just her future she needed to worry about. The shadow of doom and foreboding had lingered over her ever since she had that dream. She couldn't shake it or forget about it. Somehow, she knew that the fate of Thedas rested on her already overburdened shoulders.


	9. Chapter 9: The Solution

By the time Gabrielle emerged from the captain's quarters, everyone had already finished breakfast. She realized that they had all been waiting for her. Anders approached her with a small vile filled with yellow liquid.

"I want you to take this, love. It's a potion that I've mixed to help settle your stomach and replace some of the nutrients you have lost over the past week."

Gabrielle's stomach was still reeling and the thought of eating or drinking anything made her feel like vomiting. Anders removed the stopper from the vial and handed the potion to her. She gulped hard as she brought it to her lips. The aroma of the elixir was sickly sweet. If she hadn't been so nauseous, she probably would have found the scent pleasing, but at that moment it just made her gag. She could feel the bile rising in her throat.

"Just hold your breath and drink it down all at once." Anders voice was soothing. "The sooner you get it over with, the sooner you'll start to feel better."

She knew that if she could just get past the smell, she would be able to actually drink the stuff. She pinched her nose between her fingers and threw it back into her throat like a shot of whiskey. She expected it to burn, but was surprised by the icy sensation it left as it made its way down her throat. She felt the cold liquid seep into her stomach and as it did, the queasiness began to subside. Gabrielle smiled at Anders.

"I'm…famished. I'm actually hungry. Do you think that you could find something for me to eat?"

Anders, who appeared to have been holding his breath, sighed with relief and beamed at her.

"Of course, love, I'm just happy that the potion worked."

"Thank you, Anders. I feel so much better now."

Anders turned to Merrill, "Do you think you could find something for Gabrielle to eat, Merrill?"

The young elf grinned happily. "Of course. I'll go to the galley right away."

Without another word, Merrill spun on her heels and took off at a run, happy to be able to help her friend. Gabrielle regarded Anders thoughtfully.

"Not to sound ungrateful Anders, but why didn't you just give me the potion before, when this sickness began?"

Anders approached her and took her by the hands. "I'm sorry, love. I would have given you a potion sooner, but I didn't yet know the underlying cause. If I would have given you that potion and there was something else causing your illness it might have done more harm than good."

She nodded and then kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you again for taking such good care of me, sweetheart."

Anders returned her gesture with a soft kiss on her lips. Fenris, who was standing behind them, cleared his throat.

"Hawke, our newest passenger wishes to speak to you. I do not think it is wise to make her wait."

"You're right, Fenris. Where is she?" Gabrielle asked.

"She's waiting at the stern of the ship." he replied.

She turned to see the strange woman standing at the back of the ship looking out at the sea.

"Anders, when Merrill returns please have her take my food to the captain's quarters. I will eat when I have finished my conversation with Morrigan."

"Yes, love." He answered with a slight bow of his head.

Gabrielle had been dreading her conversation with the witch almost as much as she had been dreading her conversation with Fenris. She let out a long breath and straightened her shoulders before making her way to Morrigan's side. The woman did not look in her direction but continued staring at the water. Before Gabrielle could say anything, Morrigan spoke.

"I take it you have finished playing with your toys long enough to speak with me now?"

Gabrielle was tiring of the witch referring to her lovers in that manner, but chose not to argue with the woman.

"I apologize for making you wait so long, Morrigan. Fenris was not in a talking sort of mood last night, so our discussion had to wait until this morning."

Morrigan glanced briefly at Gabrielle, before turning her gaze back to the open ocean. "Fenris? He is the elf, is he not?"

"Yes."

Morrigan regarded her with narrowed eyes. "He will become your strength in the dark days ahead of you."

Gabrielle was tiring of the witch's riddles. "What exactly do you mean by that?"

"Both are your lovers, the elf and the mage, are they not?"

Gabrielle wondered where the witch was going with her line of questioning. "I know it's an unusual situation that most people wouldn't understand, but yes."

Morrigan shook her head. "Tis not such an unusual occurrence to me. My mother often took more than one lover. Twas quite normal for me to see, in fact."

Gabrielle's brow furrowed. Something had been nagging at her since Morrigan had introduced herself the night before. She had heard that name somewhere before, but just could not place it. All at once it came to her…Flemeth. Flemeth had mentioned her name on Sundermount.

"Your mother? You mean Flemeth?"

Morrigan nodded. "Yes, Flemeth is my mother…and I know that she enlisted your aid to preserve her life."

When Gabrielle and her family were making their escape from Lothering, Flemeth helped them get past the blight. In return, the witch asked her to deliver an amulet to Sundermount. When Gabrielle fulfilled her end of the bargain, Flemeth appeared and told her that the small piece of the elder witch's spirit contained in the amulet was insurance against the inevitable. Flemeth had also alluded to the fact that the architect of that inevitability was her own daughter, Morrigan. Gabrielle briefly wondered what had caused such a rift between the witches that would make Flemeth believe that her daughter would murder her. At that very moment, however, the best that she could hope for was that Morrigan wouldn't hold that past deed against her.

"She…mentioned you…somewhat."

"I can only imagine what it was that she told you."

"She seemed to be under the impression that you were trying to kill her."

Morrigan waved her hand. "Yes, well…that is neither here nor there. Right now, we have more important things to think about."

It seemed that Morrigan had no interest in discussing her mother any further, so Gabrielle decided to return to the subject at hand.

"So what do Fenris and Anders have to do with all of this?"

"Everything." the witch answered ominously

Gabrielle let out an exasperated sigh. "Would you care to elaborate?"

Morrigan tilted her head slightly. "You had a vision about the mage, did you not?"

Gabrielle swallowed hard and nodded. She could still picture Vengeance through Anders choking the life out of her, taking over her body. A cold shiver moved up her spine as Morrigan continued.

"I have had similar visions. The demon that resides in your lover is very powerful, very angry and very dangerous. He is a bigger threat than any archdemon that has ever existed. If he is not stopped, he will be the word's undoing."

Gabrielle shook her head in disbelief. "Anders? The world's undoing? You can't be serious?"

The witch's face betrayed no hint of emotion. "Do you not yet understand, 'tis not the mage that is the danger, but the one who lives inside him. As days pass, the demon will grow stronger as the man becomes lost, trapped inside his own mind. This demon has but one purpose, to destroy anything or anyone that gets in its path."

Gabrielle knew that the demon was dangerous, there was no question about that, but Anders had always been able to maintain control of him, for the most part anyway. She knew that there was no possible way that Anders would ever allow Vengeance to go that far. On the other hand, her dream seemed so real. She knew that it was a warning, and it was a warning about Anders' demon. If she didn't believe in the vision, then why were they risking everything to go to Denerim? She couldn't wrap her mind around it. It just wasn't possible, as long as she and Anders were together, he would be able to maintain control, wouldn't he?

"No, I won't believe it. Anders is fine right now. Since we left Kirkwall, the only time that the demon has come out was when Anders was afraid that I would be harmed. If Vengeance was trying to take over Anders' body completely, he would be showing himself more often. Anders has it under control."

"It makes no difference if you believe or not. Your belief or denial does not change fact. And if what you say is true, how did the Chantry in Kirkwall come to ruin? I daresay that you are not the type of person who would allow another to kill so many innocents. The fact that you spared his life tells me that you do not believe 'twas the mage who committed the act. Where was his control over the demon then?"

"That was different." Gabrielle whispered. "That was…my fault. If I would have been there for him, stayed beside him instead of letting him push me away…if I had not fallen into the arms of another man…maybe he wouldn't have felt so isolated and alone. Maybe things wouldn't have gone that far."

The witch shook her head. "'Tis true that you wield a great deal of influence, but are you really so vain as to believe that you could stop a demon if it set its mind to do something?"

Morrigan didn't seem to understand what Gabrielle was trying to say. "I wasn't actually talking about me as much as his love for me."

The woman laughed haughtily. "Surely you are not naïve enough to believe in such childhood fancies? Trust me when I tell you that nothing you could have done or said would have prevented the events in Kirkwall. Your love, as you say, matters not to the demon. It has a way of coercing your mage. Tis easier for a demon to make its host do its bidding than to take over the host's body, but if it cannot convince the host it _will_ take over."

It seemed to Gabrielle that Morrigan was trying to tell her that she would have to kill Anders. She loved him; she could no more take his life than she could her own.

"I will not kill Anders. I can't…"

"I never suggested that you needed to." Morrigan interrupted. "In fact, 'twould be the worst thing that you could do. _You_ are the one the demon really wants. Your ability to lead, your influence over others and your inner strength is what it craves. If you kill the mage, the spirit will simply take over your mind and body."

Gabrielle was confused. "But I thought that a host had to be willing. A demon can't take over if a mage is unwilling to accept it."

Morrigan nodded. "Tis true…for a normal demon, but this is no ordinary demon. 'Tis the only one of its kind and it feeds on a person's need for retribution. If someone were to slay the demon's host with vengeance in her heart, it would leave her susceptible to the demon's possession."

"And by her, I take it you mean me?" Gabrielle asked.

The witch seemed to ignore Gabrielle's inquiry, choosing instead to ask a question of her own. "Let me pose a question to you, if I may…Let us say, that on the day your babes are born, someone were to tie you down and slaughter both of them mercilessly in front of you. What would you do?"

Anger flashed in Gabrielle's eyes at the mere mention of anyone doing her children harm.

"I would hunt them down to the ends of world if I had to and make them pay."

Morrigan continued. "And what if the murderer was your mage or the demon working through him and you were let go immediately to seek your retribution? Could you honestly say that you would not seek your vengeance on him?"

Gabrielle bowed her head. "No.' she whispered quietly.

The witch's cold yellow brown eyes stared into Gabrielle's soul. "Do not believe for a moment that the demon will not use your love against you in order to satisfy its wants and needs."

Gabrielle contemplated Morrigan's words for a long moment. "So, then how do we get rid of the demon?"

Morrigan crossed her arms. "That is where the Warden comes in. She has successfully separated a demon from its host while sparing the host's life and she has a blood bond with you. You will either need a blood sacrifice or a large amount of lyrium to perform the ritual. The Warden wields great power among both the mages and dwarves in Ferelden. She also has a bond with your mage, does she not?"

Gabrielle thought of all of the stories that Anders had told her about Angelina. She knew that he had feelings for her cousin in the past and she knew that they had shared a bed when Anders was in Amaranthine.

"Yes, they were lovers."

"You must enter the Fade alone to face the demon, but you will require her aid in the ritual to send you there and she will also aid in your return." Morrigan explained.

That explained her cousin's part, but Gabrielle still didn't understand why the witch was needed. "So where do you come into all of this?"

Morrigan's expression became thoughtful. "This demon cannot be destroyed, not completely anyway. Its essence will always remain, but it needs to be purified. The only way to do that is for its corruption to be countered with innocence."

Gabrielle did not like the sound of that at all. She had a very bad feeling about what Morrigan would say next.

"What exactly are we talking about here?"

The witch placed a hand on Gabrielle's stomach. "You carry the solution inside you."

She pushed Morrigan's hand away from her body. "No, you can't ask me to do this. I cannot sacrifice one of my children."

Impatience mired the witch's voice. "No one is asking you to sacrifice your child, woman. What I am proposing is this…I shall perform a ritual that will allow one of the babes to be able to absorb the demon. The innocence of the child shall destroy the spirit. Only the essence of the spirit of Justice will remain and it will become part of the child."

"So the demon would be gone?"

"Simply put, yes."

"And everything that was good about Justice would become part of the baby? The child would not be possessed but the traits would become his own?"

"Yes."

"And we can save Anders' life in the process?"

Morrigan nodded. "That is my hope, yes."

Another question came to Gabrielle. "Which child will be the one to absorb the demon's essence?"

It seemed to be a question that Morrigan had not thought about yet. "I suppose it shall be whichever you choose. Or maybe it shall be the child's choice. As far as I know and from everything I have read, the subject of twins has never come up in this ritual before. I do know that expecting mothers have seen their unborn children in the fade almost as if the mothers carried them in during the ritual. However, from my understanding, the child appears as an adult to most mothers."

Gabrielle's eyes darted back and forth as she looked at the wooden slats beneath Morrigan's leather boots. The witch had no more idea about what was to happen in the fade anymore than she did. She recalled Morrigan saying something about Fenris.

"And what does any of this have to do with Fenris?"

The witch regarded her carefully. "The closer we get to our destination, the more frenzied the demon will become because it will be one step closer to its ultimate goal. It will take over the mage until it will seem as if the man you knew is completely gone. I daresay that this will become very difficult for you, and the elf will be your comfort, your voice of reason throughout the trials you shall face. When things are at their darkest, their most dire, he will be the only one of your companions that you will be able to trust, the only one whom the demon cannot sway."

Gabrielle shook her head. "I don't understand. Are you trying to say that I shouldn't talk to anyone else about what's going on?"

"Tis exactly what I am saying. The elf is the only one you should tell your plans to. If you have any doubts about your actions, or if the demon tries to influence you and you become unsure of your next course of action, speak to the elf about it. He is the only one who will not become self-serving in the end, and he is the only one whom the mage cannot influence in any way…But, I tire of this. We have much to plan and much to do. For now, I believe you need to replenish your strength, and I need to speak with your elf. If you value your life or the lives of your friends, you will say nothing about what we have spoken to the mage."

Gabrielle nodded. "Thank you, Morrigan. We will speak again later."

The witch said nothing; instead she turned her attention to the water once more. For a few moments, Gabrielle just stood there next to the woman and closed her eyes. Her head was starting to hurt from trying to sort out all of this new information. Morrigan seemed to know what they needed to do. She had to admit to herself that she didn't completely understand it all. What she did know was that her life was about to get more complicated than it had ever been. She just wondered if she was prepared for it.

As she made her way back to the captain's quarters to what now had to be a cold breakfast, she thought about Anders. She wondered if she had the strength to fight him. She knew that she could deal with the demon, but if the demon convinced Anders to do something, how would she be able to resist that?

Fenris…he was the key to everything. Morrigan said that he would be her voice of reason, her only confidant…her salvation. Gabrielle had to smile at that. She found it funny how the world worked and how everything in all of their lives had brought them to the point where they now found themselves. Maybe the Maker did know what He was doing after all. Maybe He knew that they would all need each other in the end and that's why things worked out the way they had. She had never been religious, but what other explanations could there be?

In the beginning, Gabrielle had sought out Anders to acquire his Warden's maps of the Deep Roads. She fell for his charm, his kindness and his strength almost immediately, and their feelings for each other had been very mutual from the start. He fell for her just as fast, and after Anders had made his deal with Justice for the spirit's possession of him, Gabrielle was the only person that he ever truly let into his life and his heart.

Not long after meeting Anders, Gabrielle met Fenris. The elf had been a slave and then subsequently, a prisoner to his own hate and anger. In time, Gabrielle's love helped free him from his prison, and in return Fenris devoted himself to her completely and of his own free will. Throughout everything, Fenris had always been there to pick up the pieces when Gabrielle's world was falling apart. Now it seemed that his strength and love would save her while she was saving the rest of the world from annihilation. All she really knew was that she would give anything to keep all of them safe. She would do what she had to in order to keep her "family" together.


	10. Chapter 10: A Short Distraction

Gabrielle was still lost in thought when she opened the door to the captain's quarters. She wasn't surprised to see Anders sitting at the small table waiting for her. She knew that he would want to know what she and Morrigan had talked about. She also knew that she could not tell him. Ever since she left the witch's side she had been trying to think of what to tell Anders. She hated the thought of lying to him, but she didn't really have a choice. She was still hungry, so she decided to direct his attention to that first. Maybe she could think of a convincing lie while she ate.

"So, what did Merrill find for my breakfast?"

Anders shook his head. "I'm not sure what that was, but I was pretty sure you wouldn't want it. In fact, I'm afraid if I try to describe it, you might get sick again."

Gabrielle made a sour face. "You're right. I don't want to know. So are you trying to say that I'm going to have to go hungry?"

Anders beamed at her. "Not at all." He pulled out a chair for her, his face flush with excitement. "Okay, sit down and close your eyes."

He reminded her of a little boy on the morning of Satinalia. She giggled at him as she sat. He took her hands and placed them over her eyes. She heard him fumbling around beside her. She recognized the aroma right away, but she didn't say a word. He obviously wanted to surprise her, and she didn't want to disappoint him. She felt him place his hands over hers, so she put hers down in her lap.

"Ready?" he whispered in her ear.

She grinned. "Ready."

He removed his hands and she looked down. The small wooden table was covered with a crisp white table cloth. There was a small white vase that contained two small red roses made from a heavy velvet cloth. In the very center, there stood a delicate porcelain teapot with matching sugar and cream dispensers. One of the ivory plates in front of her held a large stack of pancakes drenched in sweet butter and thick syrup. The other held several piping hot sausages, the steam still rising from them. Finally, there was a large mug filled with Gabrielle's favorite fruit juice. She looked up at Anders. He was grinning and biting his bottom lip expectantly. She jumped up and threw her arms around his neck then kissed his cheek.

"Thank you so much sweetie. You cooked it yourself didn't you?"

Anders squeezed her tight. "Of course, love. I have to admit, I've missed cooking for you."

Gabrielle looked back down at the table. "Strawberry syrup, you remembered."

He chuckled. "Of course I remembered. It was always your favorite. Now sit down and eat before it gets cold again, love."

She assumed that he used magic to reheat the food. When they lived together, it was something he had to do quite a bit because they often get distracted with each other after their food was served. Until the moment that she sat down to eat, Gabrielle hadn't realized how much she had missed that side of Anders. At least once a week he would make that very meal for her. At first, he would experiment with different ingredients, trying to figure out exactly what she liked. When he hit upon strawberry syrup that he made himself from preserves, it instantly became her favorite. After that, he always made sure that she had the syrup when she had pancakes.

She savored every bite. She thought that it had to be the best food she had ever tasted. As she ate, Anders drank tea and chatted happily about different things that had been happening around the ship with Isabela, Varric and Merrill. He didn't mention one word about Fenris, but it didn't really surprise her. After the conversation she had with Morrigan less than an hour before, she was amazed by the fact that Anders seemed like his old self more than he had in months.

After Gabrielle had completely stuffed herself and pushed her plate away, Anders poured a cup of tea and slid it toward her. His expression changed from happiness to concern.

"So, now that you have finished eating, may I ask what you and Morrigan talked about?"

And there it was, the question that she had been dreading.

"Well, she knows about what happened in Kirkwall and that we are running for our lives. She thinks that Angelina can help us figure out a way to get out of this mess."

Anders peered at her through narrowed eyes. "She said something about old magic which you seek. What did she mean by that?"

Gabrielle barely remembered Morrigan even saying those words. She thought quickly.

"Oh, that?...well that was about the babies and darkspawn taint, just in case you are the father. Morrigan performed a similar ritual on the queen with Alistair's son."

Gabrielle knew it was a terrible lie that really didn't make any sense. She saw Anders contemplating her words and decided it would probably be best to change the subject.

"Speaking of which, I've never been to Denerim. What's it like?"

Her misdirection must have worked because Anders looked up at her and smiled. Once again he spoke to her as if he didn't have a care in the world. After he told her all about Denerim and before he had time to think about their earlier conversation, she pulled him over to the bed to show her appreciation for the meal he had cooked for her. When they had finished making love, she snuggled up close to him and fell asleep in his strong arms.


	11. Chapter 11: A Lone Discussion

Anders felt Gabrielle stir against his chest. He glanced down at her for a moment before turning his gaze back to the ceiling. She had lied to him and he knew the moment that she did. Gabrielle rarely told a lie to anyone she cared about, but when she did, it was always obvious. When she didn't want to answer a question she normally deflected her response with her sarcastic wit. He just couldn't figure out why she would lie to him. He knew her better than anyone. She couldn't have possibly thought that he wouldn't know.

"She must have a good reason to do it." he thought to himself.

_Yes, old friend._

Anders heard Justice's familiar voice resonating through his head.

_And that reason is the witch._

Morrigan…something that Gabrielle had discussed with the witch caused her to lie to him. When she boarded the ship, Morrigan had said something about seeing what Gabrielle had seen. He wondered if it had something to do with that nightmare she had the day she started to become ill. He felt a pang in his chest when he remembered how terrified she was of him, the way she looked at him, and the way she clung to Fenris to get away from him.

Justice continued.

_That witch is trying to turn Hawke against us, but we cannot allow that to happen. She is too important._

Anders found those words a bit confusing. For four years, Justice had been telling him to stay away from Gabrielle. Now, suddenly, she was too important. Anders found himself questioning Justice more and more, especially over the past six months.

Anders spoke quietly to the ceiling, to nothingness except for the space in his own head. It just made these conversations easier. Oddly, it also made him feel less insane.

"I thought you hated Gabrielle. Why the change of heart?"

The deep voice boomed again.

_She spared us, both of us. She has proven her loyalty to you, to us. She is worthy of our trust She also believes in our cause. She believes in bringing justice to mages_.

Anders knew that Justice's words completely oversimplified the way Gabrielle felt about the treatment of mages. Her viewpoints were never as simple as black and white. The woman always had a tendency to explore varying shades of life's grey areas. It was true that she believed that mages should be allowed to live free, but with certain minor restrictions. It was an argument that the couple had many times over throughout the years.

"So, why do you think that Morrigan would want to turn Gabrielle against me? I really don't see what motivation she would have for doing it. She's been an apostate her whole life. From what Angelina told me, the woman has no love for the Circle."

_I believe her goal is to gain Hawke's trust and separate her from everyone else. That way she can exact her revenge without interference._

Anders was confused. Why would Morrigan want to get revenge on Gabrielle? It was obvious that the two women didn't really know each other. Before he could ask Justice the question, a mental picture formed in his head of an older woman dressed in tight pink leather turning into a dragon and flying away. Flemeth…but why would Flemeth have anything to do…? Then it finally dawned on Anders. Flemeth had mentioned that Morrigan was her daughter, and Gabrielle helped carry a part of the witch to Sundermount.

_Do you now see, old friend?_" Justice's voice was still deep, but a little softer. "_The witch has motivation to harm Hawke, and the best way to do that is to get her away from those who love her._

Anders still wasn't completely sure that he believed Justice, but the fact that Morrigan had reason to hate Gabrielle did give him pause. But why show up now? It had been four years since they had released Flemeth on Sundermount.

_Maybe the witch was waiting until Hawke was most vulnerable, waiting for her to be far away from the safety of the city._

Anders instinctively hugged Gabrielle tighter to him. "But why the ruse? She's obviously very powerful. If she wanted to kill Gabrielle, why hadn't she done so yet?"

Justice's voice lowered until it was almost a hiss.

_What would be the fun for the witch in that? She is angry and wants to make Hawke suffer. What is the best way to make her suffer? Take away that which is most important to her. You have to protect her Anders. You have to stay close to her._

Anders shook his head as his big hand rubbed her left arm, the heat of his anger rising within him. "As long as I am alive, I will not allow harm to come to her. I swear it."

_Stay close to her old friend. She needs our protection. Be prepared for the rest of her friends to betray her soon. If the witch cannot influence her to leave them behind, she will go behind Hawke's back and cause them to turn on her. You have to make sure that you are there for her no matter what, even if she doesn't think she wants you there._

Anders thought about Justice's words. Gabrielle considered her friends to be her family. It would completely devastate her if they ever double-crossed her. He would make sure she knew that he would stay by her side. Then Anders had another thought.

"What about Fenris? He will not turn on Gabrielle. As much as I hate to admit it, Fenris does love her. He won't ever abandon her."

_Then you must work with the elf to ensure Hawke's safety…One word of caution though, do not allow things to happen that will lead her to believe that Fenris will be a better protector for her. You must be the one she relies on the most, her shelter from the coming storm. Otherwise she may start to believe that Fenris loves her more and that he is her best option for a mate, especially now that she is carrying his children. In the end, she may abandon you for him. You have to make yourself indispensable to her, the person that she looks to above all others to have her best interests at heart._

Gabrielle choosing Fenris was the one thing that Anders feared above everything else. Justice was right. He would just have to make sure that Gabrielle believed that she couldn't live without him. He knew that he needed to proceed with caution in that plan so Fenris wouldn't realize what he was doing and try to top Anders.

Gabrielle rolled over onto her left side. In her sleep, she reached blindly behind her searching for Anders' arm. He rolled over on his side as well until her back was pressed against his chest and abdomen. She found his hand and pulled it around her shoulders like a blanket. He saw the corners of her mouth curl into a cat-like grin and almost swore that she purred with delight.

"I will keep you safe, my love. I swear it." he whispered into her ear.

For the time being, Justice went back into his dormant state and Anders felt relieved that he didn't have to speak on the subject anymore. He relaxed and just enjoyed the rare quiet, peacefulmoment with the woman he loved. There would be plenty of time to worry about everything later. All he knew was that from that point on, she was the only thing that mattered and he would never let anything get in the way of that again.


	12. Chapter 12: Keeping the Peace

The Dark Maiden was only two days out of Denerim when Fenris approached Gabrielle as she leaned against the railing at the bow of the ship. She saw that Anders, who hadn't let her out of his site for days, was busy talking to Varric when she turned around after she felt a tap on her shoulder. Fenris grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to him. He was close enough for her to feel his hot breath on her face and his excitement against her upper thigh.

"I'm not sure how much time Varric is going to be able to buy us, but I needed to get you alone."

He was almost panting with desire as he searched her bright blue-green eyes with his deep green ones. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to kiss the elf. So why didn't she just do it? Anders knew how she felt about Fenris, so he couldn't really say anything if she did. The problem was that Anders behavior had become very odd and increasingly erratic since the day she spoke with Morrigan. He was always with her, always watching her and wouldn't let anyone else come near her. He didn't exactly tell them to leave her alone, but the menacing glares and the intimidating stances kept them away.

Gabrielle was relatively sure that Anders' behavior didn't bother Fenris as much as the fact that she had basically ignored him during that time. It wasn't something she did on purpose; she just couldn't get away from Anders and with the way he was acting she was afraid to ask. She was trying to keep Anders happy so that the demon would have no reason to come out, but she was starting to resent the fact that Anders had become so overbearing. She loved him and the last thing she wanted to do was harbor those types of feelings against him.

"Fenris." she whispered hoarsely.

"I just need to know, have you chosen the mage? The last time we spoke…have I done something that displeased you so much that you have chosen not to speak to me anymore?"

Gabrielle shook her head frantically. "No, please don't think that. You haven't done anything wrong and I haven't chosen Anders. I have just been trying to keep the demon at bay. I have missed you more than you can imagine though."

She brushed her lips against his for only a second before gazing into his eyes again.

_Maker, he's gorgeous and he smells so good._

"So Fenris, is there something that Gabrielle or I can do for you?" Anders sounded irritated to put it mildly. Just before Fenris turned to face the mage, Gabrielle saw anger flash in his green eyes. He went nose to nose with Anders and hissed.

"Contrary to what you may believe, mage, you own no rights to Hawke."

Gabrielle saw blue flash across Anders' eyes and she knew she had to do something before things got really ugly. She pushed herself between the two men and grabbed Anders by the hand.

"Calm yourself, Anders."

The mage shook his head and gave Gabrielle a disappointed frown.

"Thank you, love. I almost lost it there for a moment."

Gabrielle sighed and turned to Fenris. "Can you give us a moment, lover?"

Fenris nodded. He was muttering curses under his breath as he walked to the main mast and propped himself against it. He crossed his arms and glared at Anders. Gabrielle closed her eyes and let out a long ragged breath. This was not going to be an easy conversation and she wasn't entirely sure how Anders was going to react.

"Anders, you know that I love you, right?"

He nodded his head and looked at his feet. Gabrielle could see that he was wrestling with some sort of dark thoughts. She continued.

"I appreciate that you want to spend all of your time with me and I appreciate that you're trying to protect me, but you know how I feel about Fenris and I thought I made it clear that I would be spending time with both of you."

Anders stuck out his bottom lip in a pout at those words. His eyes moved from his feet to the portside of the ship. He reminded Gabrielle of a small boy who wasn't allowed to get his way. He sighed heavily and his eyes finally met hers.

"I know that Gabrielle. It's just that…the last few months in Kirkwall, I didn't get to spend any real time with you. I know it was my own fault, but I missed you. I guess that I was just making up for lost time. I'm sorry."

Gabrielle was genuinely surprised by his words. She expected some sort of argument, not an apology. Anders just looked so sad that she couldn't help but to feel sorry for him. She glanced at Fenris and saw him still glowering at the two of them. No, she needed time with Fenris too. She hated to hurt Anders' feelings, but she had to do it, for Fenris as well as herself.

"And I have enjoyed spending the past few days with you. But if you don't mind too awfully much, I would like to spend the night with Fenris."

Anders touched her cheek and gave her a sad smile. "Alright my love, if that's what will make you happy."

Gabrielle wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his face toward hers. She kissed him softly and slowly. She hoped that it would let him know that just because she was going to spend the night with Fenris, it didn't mean that it lessened her feelings for him.

"Thank you, sweetie, for understanding. I love you so very much."

Anders smile became more genuine before he returned her kiss with one of his own.

"I love you too, Gabrielle, but tomorrow night, you're mine…agreed?"

She rolled her eyes playfully and poked at his chest with her index finger.

"Okay, but only if you behave yourself."

Anders smirked at her. "Always."

He put his hands on her cheeks and brought her lips to his for one final goodnight kiss. She then watched him as he walked down the stairs leading to the decks below. She was just about to turn around when she felt a pair of strong arms encircle her waist and a pair of soft lips close on the nape of her neck. She moaned loudly as Fenris's mouth made its way up to her earlobe. He nipped at it playfully as he breathed into her ear.

"Shall we retire to your chambers now?" he whispered in a husky voice.

Gabrielle's breathing became heavy and erratic as she turned in his arms and locked her lips to his. They explored each other's bodies with their hands, not caring that anyone else could be watching. Fenris who normally hated public displays of affection, lifted Gabrielle's legs up until they enclosed his waist between them. He continued exploring her mouth with his own as he carried her to the door of the captain's quarters. Gabrielle broke away from his embrace long enough to bend her body back and turn the handle of the door. Once inside, Fenris lifted his foot and kicked the door shut behind them.

They made love for hours, again and again until Gabrielle was spent. She often wondered if the two men in her life took some sort of enhancement potions that gave them so much stamina. She settled herself in the crook of Fenris's arm and smiled up at him dreamily. He frowned at her as he tucked her hair behind her ear.

"I haven't gotten the chance to tell you until tonight, but I talked to Morrigan right after you did a few nights ago. She told me about the conversation the two of you had about the mage."

Gabrielle wondered when the subject was going to come up. Ever since that night, even with Anders acting the way he had been, Fenris was always nearby. Even when she and Anders left the captain's quarters in the mornings, the elf was always standing near the door like a sentinel. She wondered if he had been spending his nights camped out there, waiting to see if she got in trouble and needed his help.

"So what did Morrigan say to you exactly?"

Fenris's expression turned even more sour. "She warned me about how dangerous the abomination really is and she told me that you would need me now more than ever. I worry about you spending so much time with him."

Gabrielle started to protest, but he interrupted her.

"Hawke, I know how you are. I know you always want to do everything on your own and I realize that you are trying to make this as easy as you possibly can for Anders so you don't have to make the choice of turning on him before all of your preparations are complete. I know how you feel about him, but you're playing a dangerous game."

He placed his hand on the tiny bulge that had started to grow from her lower abdomen.

"Please try to remember that it's not just you that you have to think about now. Your…our babies need you to stay safe, or at least not take unnecessary chances."

Gabrielle suddenly had a feeling of remorse. Ever since Anders had started giving her the potion to keep her morning sickness at bay and with everything else going on, she had almost completely forgotten about being pregnant. How could she forget something like that? She had just been doing her best to get through the last few days. She looked down at Fenris's hand on her stomach and covered it with her own. Her voice was quiet as she spoke.

"I'm sorry Fenris. I guess I just didn't think about that."

She looked up at him. "So does this mean that you've taken to the idea of being a father?"

He kissed her softly. He couldn't contain the grin that was spreading across his face. "I cannot wait to meet them. I just hope they look like their mother."

Gabrielle smirked. "Well it wouldn't be such a bad thing if they looked like their father either, you know."

Fenris's face became serious again. "We are almost to Denerim. You need to speak to Morrigan so you can figure out what you will do once we arrive at the city."

She groaned loudly and collapsed onto her back. "I know. I've been trying to figure out how to do it without Anders being around. He has made it very clear that he doesn't want her anywhere near me."

Fenris was silent for a time, lost in quiet contemplation as he tried to come up with a solution. He peered at her through narrowed eyes and cocked his head slightly to the side.

"Okay, after everyone has gone to sleep, I will go seek out Morrigan. I will let her know she needs to come here so that the two of you can make your plans."

Gabrielle interrupted. "But what about Anders? You know that he's probably waiting right outside the door. Maker knows you did."

Fenris's face reddened slightly. "I thought you might need me." he mumbled before his voice returned to it's normal level. "If he is, I'll figure out a way to distract him after I find Morrigan."

"But what if he follows you?"

"I don't think he'll tear himself away from you that long, do you?"

Gabrielle knew that Fenris was right. The way Anders had been lately, she would be surprised if he didn't enter the room once Fenris was out of sight. She wondered what exactly Fenris had planned. Anders wouldn't easily be coaxed away from her, especially by the elf.

"So how do we do this?"

He smiled at her slyly. "Just leave everything up to me."


	13. Chapter 13: Misdirection

Just as Fenris had guessed, Anders was standing right outside the cabin's door when he emerged into the night air. He nodded to the mage.

"Anders."

Anders looked at the elf suspiciously.

"Fenris…where's Gabrielle?"

"Sleeping. I thought to take this opportunity to go grab my pack from below deck."

Anders didn't look completely convinced, but did not argue with the elf or ask him anymore questions. Fenris crossed the ship and made his way below decks. The first thing he did was grab his pack. He didn't want to forget it after talking to Morrigan and make Anders even more wary of his actions. He had just stood to his full height when he heard the haughty voice behind him.

"So I take it that your mistress finally wants to speak to me."

Fenris huffed. He hated it when the witch called her that, it made him feel like a slave again and she knew it. His tone was irritable when he answered her.

"She is not…oh, nevermind. Yes, Hawke wishes to speak to you. The abomination is standing just outside her door, so give me a few minutes to get rid of him. Then you can go in to see her."

"Of course." Morrigan bowed her head slightly. "By the way, elf…things get no easier from here."

Fenris nodded silently. He knew that everything was about to change, and for the worse, at least for a while. Hawke insisted that she was going to save Anders, and after speaking with Morrigan, Fenris knew that she really had no choice. The witch hadn't gone into any detail as to how they were going to get rid of the demon, but he wasn't sure that he wanted to know. He already feared for Hawke's life and the lives of the little ones growing inside her, so he figured that the less he knew about the details the better.

When he got back on deck, Fenris saw Anders who was still manning the same spot by the door of the cabin. He was just as surprised as Hawke must have been that Anders hadn't entered the room. He bit his bottom lip as he approached the mage.

"Anders, we need to speak privately." he whispered.

The mage scrutinized him through narrowed eyes.

"Considering we're the only ones on deck right now, I would say that you couldn't get much more private."

Fenris had anticipated Anders' answer, but knew just what to say to counter it. The mage was nothing if not consistent in his paranoia.

"Or so it appears. You never know who might be listening. Besides, I would rather not do this here, just in case Hawke wakes up and overhears us."

Anders crossed his arms. "I'm in no mood for games tonight. What's this about, Fenris?"

The elf took a few steps closer to the mage and lowered his voice even more. "As close as we are to Denerim, I think we need to talk about how to keep Hawke safe. You know how she is. If she hears us coming up with plans to try to protect her, she is probably not going to like it."

Anders opened his mouth to argue, but quickly closed it and nodded in defeat. Fenris continued.

"Besides, I think there are a few things of a more…private nature that you and I need to discuss."

Anders looked at the door to the captain's quarters. "But what about Hawke? We can't just leave her here unguarded."

"She's asleep. I think she'll be fine for just a few minutes. Frankly, I more worried about incurring her wrath than about somebody else harming her at this time of night."

Anders still seemed reluctant. Fenris had to come up with something to get the mage away from that door. Then it dawned on him.

"Besides, what Hawke wants more than anything is for you and I to learn to get along and maybe actually become friends. This might be a step in the right direction."

Anders glanced down at the floor on his right side for a moment, mulling over Fenris's words. He exhaled heavily.

"Fine…but only for a few minutes. I don't want to leave her alone for any longer than we have to. "

Fenris held back the smirk that threatened to cross his lips.

"Agreed. I think the best place to go would be the galley. There's a small table and chairs, one door and no windows…and I also thought I saw a bottle of Aggregio in the stores, maybe you and I could toast to our new alliance."

Anders appeared contemptuous. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves." He sighed. "Lead the way."

Fenris made his way to the steps that led below decks and to the galley with Anders following close behind. Once they reached the galley, the elf closed the door behind them and located the bottle of wine on one of the shelves. He then found two glasses, wiped them out with a cloth and poured a half glass for each of them. He handed Anders a glass and sat down. The mage looked down at his wine for a second, but did not take a drink.

"So, what's your plan?" he asked.

Fenris took a sip of his wine and leaned forward.

"First of all, we have to make sure that Hawke doesn't suspect that we're guarding her closely, especially when we get to the city. I daresay that you are known in Denerim?"

"Somewhat." Anders replied.

"And I am fairly sure that word has spread with your name and description after what happened in Kirkwall. That along with the fact that you are known in Ferelden and Denerim makes you a danger to Hawke within the city. I think that it would probably be a wiser decision for me to accompany her."

Anders finally took a drink of wine, but instead of a small sip, he drank half of it with one gulp. He shook his head.

"And you don't think you would stand out with those markings? You stick out like a bleeding bronto in a nug pen."

"Maybe, but I've never been to Ferelden and I'm an elf so I can be passed off as a servant."

Anders drank down the remaining contents of his glass as he contemplated Fenris's words. Fenris refilled it quietly. The mage's eyes grew cold as he stared the elf down.

"You're right Fenris. One of us needs to accompany her and it should probably be you, but if anything happens to her…"

Fenris rose from his chair enough to put his face right in front of Anders'. He glared at the mage, infuriated by the man's audacity. His voice was calm but deadly, hatred and rage filling his eyes.

"What do you take me for? Do you honestly believe that I would allow any harm to befall the woman I love more than life itself, who also just happens to be the mother of my children?"

Fenris saw the hurt in the blonde man's eyes. His words had cut Anders to his very soul. The mage's shoulders slumped and he bowed his head to look at his own hands. His breathing became ragged and Fenris could see that he was trying to gain his composure. Anders' mindlessly reached up to find the full glass of wine and gulped down every drop. Looking at the pathetic shell of a man before him, Fenris actually felt pangs of guilt and regret in his gut.

For the first time, he actually thought about what it must be like to walk in Anders' boots. Not the part about being an oppressed mage, he didn't care a fig for Anders' delusions when it came to that subject. The part that was bothering Fenris was that he was about to have something that, according to Hawke, Anders had always wanted more than anything else. To make it worse, it was with the only woman the mage had ever really loved, the woman he spent three years of his life with, the one that he had tried to start a family with already and failed.

"I…I apologize Anders. That was cruel of me…and uncalled for. I know how much you love Hawke and you only want the best for her. But it angered me that you would believe that I would give anything less than my life to protect her."

Anders nodded his head, but remained silent for a few moments as he stared at the empty glass in his hands.

"Is there anymore wine?" he asked quietly.

Fenris thought to argue with him. He knew that Anders had a penchant for being a drunk, but in light of the circumstances he just refilled the mage's glass. The deafening, awkward silence between them went on for what seemed like ages. When Anders finished the third glass, Fenris just pushed the bottle toward him. The elf realized that he had to do something to get Anders' mind off the subject of Hawke and the babies all together. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a deck of cards that he always kept just in case Isabela or Varric wanted to play.

"Fancy a game of Diamond Back?"

Anders sighed loudly and shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

Fenris started dealing the cards. "So, Varric told me that I should ask you about the time you made a dwarf fly."

Anders chuckled. "You should have been there. I have never laughed so hard in my life."


	14. Chapter 14: Finally a Plan

Gabrielle's back was turned to the door when she heard it open and subsequently shut. Just in case it was Anders, she feigned sleep. She could feel eyes upon her, but heard no sound, not even a small creak of boards as the person neared her bed. A soft violet light pierced the darkness around her.

"Hello, Morrigan." she said. She sat up and sent a small trickle of magic into the lanterns to light them. She then went around the room and pulled the heavy black-out curtains down over the small windows in the cabin before continuing.

"So, have you come up with a plan?"

Morrigan glided across the room and sat on one of the worn wooden chairs next to the small table in the corner.

"Your captain estimates that we will be arriving in Denerim tomorrow evening, so we need to make sure we have a plan in place before then."

"Do you have something in mind?" Gabrielle asked.

"You look very similar to the Warden. That can be used to our advantage, but in order to make this ruse truly effective we will need to make a few changes in your appearance."

"Such as?"

"For one, the Warden's hair is longer yours, so you shall need a wig. I daresay that the Warden's attire is of a more…feminine nature. Since I have been on this ship, I have often wondered, just how hideous are your legs?"

Gabrielle was irritated by the witch's question. "I have never had any complaints about my legs. I'm just more comfortable wearing breeches."

"I find myself surprised by the fact that you have two men fighting for your attention. From my experience women such as yourself usually prefer the company of their own sex. Since they are practically tripping over themselves to be with you, I wonder if your lapdogs feel the same."

One corner of Gabrielle's mouth turned up in a slight smirk.

"While I appreciate your dilemma Morrigan, I'm afraid that I'm going to have to disappoint you. Having two men in my life doesn't afford me to take on extra lovers. I realize how difficult it must be for you to find a mate considering your limited social skills. Isabela likes the company of women, maybe she's feeling charitable."

The witch was not amused. Gabrielle had obviously hit a nerve.

"I see that you fancy yourself a comedian. I think perhaps Alistair chose the wrong the cousin, given that you are so much like him."

"I take it you don't like King Alistair very much?" Gabrielle asked.

Morrigan became more abrasive. "Alistair is a bumbling fool. I am in shock that he has remained king this long without half of the population of Ferelden threatening to pick up and move to Tevinter."

Gabrielle's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Does this mean that we won't be best friends?"

The witch simply crossed her arms and harrumphed.

"Don't worry Morrigan, I'll grow on you."

"Yes, not unlike a fungus I am sure." she quipped sardonically.

Gabrielle chuckled for a moment then became serious once more. "Well unless you carry a wig and robes in your brassiere, how do you propose that I change my appearance so drastically?"

Morrigan, apparently choosing to ignore the younger mage's comeback, continued her explanation of the plan she had formed.

"The morning after our arrival to the city, you will first disguise yourself with one of three black capes that the dwarf found below decks, making sure that the hood keeps your face hidden. The Rivaini will accompany you into Denerim, where she will help you find the items you will need for your disguise. She will also take that time to meet with some of her contacts. Those people will ensure that you will be able to enter the castle without incident."

Gabrielle saw a lot of holes in Morrigan's plans, but she hadn't been able to come up with anything better so she simply allowed the witch to continue.

"When you return, we shall wait in the ship's hold until dusk. You will don the disguise and complete the ensemble with my red cape."

Gabrielle was slightly confused. "But won't the red cape draw attention to me? I thought that we were trying to avoid that."

"The two elves who shall be accompanying you will be wearing black capes. The color of my cape will help convince the guards that you are the Warden, because you will stand out from the others. Tis a trick of royalty, to wear something that makes the one of royal lineage stand out among those of a lesser station. Even though the Warden is not royalty herself, her relationship and standing with the king affords her the right to act as such."

Gabrielle was not feeling very good about the plan that Morrigan had come up with. There was so much that could go wrong. She wondered what role two hooded elves would play in the scenario.

"So I take it the elves that will be accompanying me are Fenris and Merrill? Those two aren't exactly inconspicuous, especially Fenris with his lyrium markings. And why would the Warden have elves accompanying her into the castle?"

"King Alistair of Ferelden has a reputation of having a soft spot for elves. All you have to say is that the two with you are representatives for a Dalish clan that has camped outside of Denerim. The king sent you, his mistress, into the forest to speak with them to make sure that they intend to remain peaceful. While you were there, their Keeper decided to send two liaisons with you to speak to the king personally so they will be able to see for themselves if the king is being forthcoming or not. Most people in Denerim have no idea what a Dalish elf looks like other than the fact that they bare many tattoos. I doubt anyone will look upon Fenris's markings as anything more than that. The most they would think would be that he is an important elf."

Gabrielle nodded. Morrigan's plans were actually starting to make sense. But what of the real Angelina? How would they ensure that the Warden wouldn't just show up and blow Gabrielle's cover?

"And how do we make sure that my cousin is out of the way long enough to do this?"

Morrigan seemed to have all of the details worked out already.

"Tis where the captain's inside information will come into play. Her contacts will allow us to find out when she moves around the castle the least. If we must, we will execute our plan in the middle of the night. Once inside the castle, you will inform Isabela's contact of your arrival and that person will let the Warden know that some Dalish elves are there to parlay and have brought an intermediary. Then, when the Warden appears, you can reveal your true identity and request her aid."

Gabrielle couldn't see any other way that they could get close to Angelina. She still didn't know what she would say to her cousin once she finally got in to see her. She wasn't even sure what the plan was beyond that. She knew that a ritual had to be performed, but that was the extent of it.

As the hour progressed, Morrigan began to outline their upcoming task in greater detail. By the time the witch stood to leave, Gabrielle felt a lot more confident about what needed to be done. The only thing that she still wasn't completely sure about was how she was going to handle Anders until they were ready to perform the ritual. She knew that part of it would include lying to him, which she was notoriously bad at. She just had to keep telling herself that it wasn't Anders she was lying to, it was the demon. If she could make herself believe that when it counted, she knew she would be able to pull it off.

Gabrielle waited for almost an hour after Morrigan shut the cabin door behind her, but still no sign of Anders or Fenris. She wondered what they could have possibly found to talk about or to do for that long. Finally, when she could no longer keep her eyes open, she fell into a deep troubled sleep. Confusing and cryptic dreams that she would not be able to recall later, tormented her. The one thing that all of her strange dreams had in common had been that something or someone was watching her every move. The feeling became so intense, that it finally woke her.

Her lids parted and her eyes were assaulted by the light of the rising sun. But how was that possible? She had covered the windows the night before when Morrigan had come into her room. She didn't recall pulling the curtains back before she went to sleep. She reached out her hand to feel the bed beside her only to discover that neither Fenris nor Anders had come back to her room in the night. Still, she had the nagging sensation that she wasn't alone. She sat up and rubbed her eyes then shook her head to try to wake herself up. She scanned the room around her and finally caught sight of Anders sitting in one of the wooden chairs in the corner of the room.

The blonde mage seemed to be studying her intently. On closer inspection, Gabrielle saw the familiar blue light where Anders' amber eyes should have been.

"Hello Justice." she said flatly.

"Hawke" the deep other-wordly voice replied. "I am surprised that you call me by that name."

"I assumed that it was the name that you preferred to be addressed by. If I am wrong, then I apologize and ask that you tell me what name you would rather I use."

There was no hint of emotion in his ethereal voice when he answered her.

"Justice is sufficient."

Gabrielle didn't want to mince words with the demon. She hoped that she could find out what he wanted so he could go back to his hiding place inside Anders.

"So, what do you want Justice?"

"I am no fool, Hawke. I know that you and the witch have something planned for me, though you have been clever enough to keep your schemes between you. For now, I will allow it."

Gabrielle was tiring of his game. "So again I ask, what do you want?"

Anders mouth curled into an evil grin. "For now, nothing…I just wanted to make sure that you knew that I am still present. When the time comes, I _will _let you know what I require of you. Until then, just know that I am watching and waiting. I will not be gotten rid of so easily."

Gabrielle smiled at him mockingly. "Thank you so much letting me know. There's no way I could have figured it out on my own."

His smile did not waver. "Clever girl, we shall see just how clever you are in the days ahead…Oh and fair warning…you might want to spend as much time with Anders as you can over the next day or two, for you will be seeing very little of him after that, and only if _I_ allow it."

Gabrielle didn't like the sound of that. The demon obviously had its own plan in place. Morrigan said that it would fight them, but she would have to stay strong and veer from their path as little as possible.

"Then I will try not to do anything to upset your delicate nature too much, Justice."

Without another word from the demon, Anders slumped in his chair and fell forward onto the floor. Gabrielle leapt from the bed and kneeled down to help him. Just as her knee touched the wood of the floor, the door burst open. Fenris looked around the room frantically. When he saw Gabrielle next to the mage, he ran to her side and threw his arms around her.

"Hawke, I was so worried."

Gabrielle was completely confounded by the elf's behavior. "Fenris, what's going on?"

Fenris stood and scooped her up in his arms. "There's no time to explain. We need to get you out of here…away from that abomination."

She tried to calm his fears. "Don't worry. The demon has gone back into hiding again. I already spoke to it. Haven't you figured it out yet?"

Fenris gazed at her questioningly as held her in his capable arms.

"What?" he asked.

"The demon will not harm me. It is not me you have to worry about, it's everyone else."

He exhaled loudly with his frustration as he put her feet to the floor.

"I suppose you are correct."

"So what happened? How did you know about Justice?"

"Anders and I were drinking wine and playing cards in the galley. He was telling me stories about when he was a Warden and for once I was actually enjoying his company. Then out of nowhere, he flashed blue and broke a wine bottle over my head. I woke up in a pool of blood and wine and found him gone. I knew that he must have come after you, so here I am."

For the first time since he entered the room, Gabrielle noticed that large chunks of Fenris's hair were matted together by a red substance.

"I think I should be asking you if you are okay. Go sit on the bed and I will heal those cuts for you."

"No thank you." Fenris spat. "I've had enough of magic for today."

Gabrielle put her hands on her hips and leered at him. "You will either allow me to heal you voluntarily, or I will just have to add another lump to your head when I knock you out and do it while you're unconscious. Your choice."

The elf rolled his eyes and plopped down on the bed. "Fine. Just do it."

It didn't take long for Gabrielle to repair the damage that had been done to Fenris's scalp. There were no deep cuts, and the skull was not fractured so it was a relatively easy healing. When she was finished, Fenris used the basin in the room to wash the blood and wine out of his hair and dried it with the fresh towel that Gabrielle provided to him. Then the two of them maneuvered Anders onto the bed where he took the next several hours to sleep off all of the alcohol he drank. When he finally awoke, he had no idea that Justice had taken over. Gabrielle and Fenris decided that it was better if the mage remained oblivious to what had happened.

With Fenris's reluctant permission, Gabrielle spent the rest of the day and the night with Anders. After what Justice said, she wanted to be with him as much as possible before the demon took over completely. No matter what happened, she loved the man and she needed for him to know that without a doubt so he would want to return to her when Justice tried to send his mind and soul into the abyss.


	15. Chapter 15: Entering Denerim

The morning after their ship docked in Denerim, Gabrielle was awakened by someone shaking her arm. She opened one eye just enough to see that the room was still pitch black and swatted at whoever it was that was trying to rouse her so early. For a few minutes, she thought that the person had left her alone, but then the shaking began again. Anders' arm squeezed tighter around her shoulder as the foreign hand continued to agitate her. Gabrielle buried her face in her lover's chest and whimpered softly.

"Hawke…Hawke."

It was Merrill. What could she possibly want at that unmakerly hour?

"Hawke, you have to get up. Isabela says that you need to be in the city before sun-up."

Comprehension slowly dawned on Gabrielle. They were in Denerim and needed to prepare for meeting the king and his mistress that evening. She groaned as she wiggled out of Anders' embrace. Luckily the mage did not wake. Instead he rolled over onto his right side and began snoring quietly. Gabrielle slowly rose from the bed and crept tacitly around the room gathering her clothes. She dressed quickly and silently before gently opening the door. It creaked slightly, but not loudly enough to stir the sleeping mage. It wasn't until she and Merrill were clear of the door that she spoke.

"I'm sorry about that Merrill. I didn't hurt you did I?"

Merrill smiled. "Oh, no. I've had to wake you before, you know Hawke. After you gave me a bloody nose that one time, I've learned to be a lot more careful and anticipate that you swing your arms rather wildly when you aren't ready to get out of bed."

Gabrielle recalled the incident that Merrill was referring to. She felt so bad for the elf afterward, especially when Merrill gave her those sad puppy eyes. She apologized to the elf profusely and tried to explain that she was a heavy sleeper. Merrill accepted her apology, but for months after that the Dalish girl would make Anders or Fenris wake her up.

When the two women got below decks, Gabrielle was surprised to see Isabela dressed in formal attire. The pirate was wearing a black wool captain's coat with silver buttons and buckles and thick white trousers with her high black boots. Beneath the coat she wore a loose white shirt that barely showed any cleavage of her ample bosom. Her laberet was gone and her hair was pulled back into a tight bun. If Gabrielle hadn't known that it was her friend Izzy, she wouldn't have recognized her which made the disguise perfect. Isabela, however, was not enjoying her new ensemble at all. She scratched at her arms and neck furiously.

"All of these clothes are making me itch like blue blazes. How long do I have to put up with wearing this shit?"

Gabrielle had to suppress a laugh. "Don't worry Izzy, it's only for a couple of hours. The good news is, I don't think anyone will recognize you in that outfit."

"Of course not." The pirate snarked. "Anyone who knows me knows that I wouldn't be caught dead in this get-up. You're lucky I love you, Hawke."

Gabrielle shot her friend her most winning smile. "Yes I am very lucky. Just consider it payback for stealing the tome."

Isabela rolled her eyes. "I already paid you back for that a dozen times. You owe me for this one."

"Okay, okay…I owe you one Izzy. Thank you for doing this."

The raider crossed her arms and smirked. "That's more like it." She surveyed Gabrielle and frowned. "I hate to break it to you, Hawke but you have either shrunk a great deal or you're wearing someone else's breeches."

Gabrielle let out an exasperated breath. She was hoping nobody would notice. She should have known that Isabela would. "Anders let me borrow them. It hurts when I try to put on any of my own pants, so I'm wearing his."

To her surprise, Isabela gave her a sympathetic nod. "Don't worry, while we're shopping for your disguise, we'll buy you some more suitable attire that will allow for the growth of that mama belly."

Morrigan, who had obviously been ignoring the exchange between the two women, handed Gabrielle a set of simple mage's robes and a long black hooded cape.

"And that is for you to wear."

Gabrielle frowned down at the bundle that had been placed in her arms. "Mage's robes, huh?"

The witch said nothing but gave her a curt nod.

The younger mage rolled her eyes and blew at her bangs. "Fine."

She went into the empty galley and changed into the outfit that Morrigan had supplied her with. After she was completely dressed, she had a much better understanding of Isabela's complaints. Gabrielle began scratching. Everywhere the robes touched her skin, she itched. She knew that it was all in her head, but that didn't make it any easier to tolerate. When she emerged from the galley, still scratching everywhere, the witch had clearly had enough of the childish behavior of the two women.

"Enough" she said sternly. "If the two of you do not stop scratching yourselves like a couple of flea bitten mongrels I shall turn you both into mabari's. Do we understand one another?"

Both women nodded in agreement. Gabrielle noticed that Isabella was still sneaking in scratches here and there. She however, was not brave enough to do so, so she continued to itch in quiet agony. The younger mage did not believe that Morrigan would actually turn them into anything, but she did not want to see what the witch was capable of if she became truly angry. The witch addressed Gabrielle once more.

"Now remember, only reveal yourself if you absolutely have to. Speak as little as possible. You are foreign nobility so make sure that your voice sounds regal and try not to use common dialect"

Gabrielle nodded in agreement. Morrigan then turned her attention to Isabela.

"You shall conduct yourself as a royal guard would when you are in the presence of others. One slip could ruin everything."

"Yes, yes." the pirate responded. "I get it. Can we just get this over with now?"

"Daylight is approaching fast now. The two of you must get off this ship and into the city before the sun rises. Make sure that no guards see you coming from the docks."

Morrigan didn't wait for an answer, but pointed up the stairs.

"Now go."

Gabrielle and Isabela raced up the stairs and onto the deck. The faintest light from the sun was starting to appear over the horizon. The two women made their way quickly and quietly off the ship, inspecting their path for guards as they went. Isabela had docked the Dark Maiden at the city's southernmost port. Their intent was to make it to the castle through the back alleys. Once they reached the palace they would go around past the city gates and enter the market district near the Arl of Redcliff's estate. Luckily, the docks were still empty and there were no city guards in sight. They walked in the shadows straight to the castle and then doubled back into the city. It wasn't until they had reached the Market District that any guards took notice of them. Isabela whispered to Gabrielle from the corner of her mouth.

"Damn. It would have to be the captain of the guard." she cursed. "Don't panic, Hawke. We can do this."

The women tried to keep walking, but the man blocked their path.

"You there." he demanded. "Who are you? What is your business here?"

Isabela decided to alter their plan slightly. Gabrielle wasn't sure of her friend's reasoning, but chose to play along. The pirate's answer came in the form of a voice that was clear and even.

"I am a foreigner to this land. I mentioned to my friend here that I wanted to take a trip to your Market District, so she decided to accompany me and show me around."

The captain sneered. "Well that's all fine and dandy for you, but why is your friend dressed so? Looks suspicious and I don't like suspicious characters lurking around my city."

Isabela let out a long annoyed sigh. "Hel-lo? My friend is dressed like this so no one will recognize her. I would think that having a functioning brain would be a requirement for the job of Guard Captain."

Gabrielle saw the captain's hand begin to inch toward his weapon. She had to do something and fast. She cleared her throat and pulled back her hood just enough to show her bright blue-green eyes.

"Stand down Captain." She said in a sickly sweet voice that even she found annoying. She had been practicing imitating her cousin for the past two days. She was surprised when Anders suggested it and actually helped her try to get it down pat. She knew it wasn't perfect, but hoped it was close enough to fool the city guard. She pulled the hood back over her face and waited.

The man, who had been so intimidating just an instant ago, now began to stutter and bow low. "Wa…Wa…Warden…I apologize. It is so rare that we see you within the city. Please forgive me. I will make sure that my men do not disturb you further, mistress."

Gabrielle gave the guard a silent nod. Isabela, on the other hand, decided to be more vocal.

"Make sure that you do."

The pirate then turned her attention to Gabrielle, her voice becoming much louder and haughtier. "Honestly…I cannot believe that the city guard in the nation's capital would treat foreign dignitaries in such a manner. Obviously, they need better training."

Gabrielle nodded to her friend. As they walked away from the guard, Isabela continued ranting and raving resonantly. By the time they reached the dead end of a street that only housed a warehouse and a few abandon store fronts, Gabrielle was ready to ring Isabela's neck. As soon as they were seemingly out of everyone's site and earshot, the young mage threw back the hood of her cape. With one look at Gabrielle, however, the pirate fell into fits of laughter. Gabrielle tried to remain cross with the woman, but began laughing herself. After a short time, Isabela wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled at her friend.

"I haven't had that much fun in ages. I thought that guy was going to shit his pants when you lifted your hood."

Gabrielle chuckled as she recalled the Guard Captain's face. "He did seem quite intimidated, didn't he? So what was all the shouting about?"

Isabela examined her fingernails. "Well, I was pretending to be a noble, I just figured that I should act the part. Besides it's always funny when you can make the city guard sweat."

Gabrielle had to agree with that sentiment. Even though Kirkwall's Guard Captain was her friend, there were times when the mage would do things just to piss Aveline off simply because it was amusing.

"Well, you've been here before and know more about the shops in the city than I do, so I suppose I should let you lead the way."

Isabela smiled. "Ooh, I know of a great hat shop not far from here."

Gabrielle gave the pirate a questioning glance. "What _is_ the deal with you and hats anyway? You never wear them, yet you love to shop for them."

Isabela shrugged. "I don't really know. I think they're pretty so I buy them. I had to leave most of the ones I collected over the years in Kirkwall so now I need to buy new ones to replace the ones I lost. Besides, the shop I'm talking about sells wigs as well so we needed to go there anyway."

The explanation made no sense to Gabrielle, but she was never really one to collect things either. "Okay, so I guess we're off to the hat shop first."

Gabrielle pulled her hood back over her head and followed Isabela. One wig and four gaudy hats later, they exited the hat shop and made their way down the street, stopping at the different stores and buying the supplies that they needed. Besides the skirted armor she bought for her disguise, Gabrielle purchased five pairs of trousers that she hoped would grow along with her expanding stomach, some lightweight blouses that had extra room and two tunics with sashes. She hoped that all of her newly acquired clothes would still fit her at the end of her pregnancy. She just couldn't bear the thought of wearing skirts all of the time.

When the two women were finished with their shopping, Isabela gave a few silvers to a boy to deliver their packages to the ship so they could enter the Pearl unencumbered. Up until that point, the only brothel that Gabrielle had ever been in was the Blooming Rose. The Pearl was much smaller and simpler than Kirkwall's den of vice.

In the corner of the parlor, a shady looking older man sat obviously waiting for someone. Without a word, Isabela slipped into one of the chairs across the table from him and Gabrielle quietly took the seat next to her.

"Hello, Jacobson." the pirate said in a low voice. "Long time no see."

"Let's skip the formalities, Isabela." the man murmured gruffly. "Do you have the coin or not?"

Isabela reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a small leather pouch. It clanked noisily as it hit the table in front of Jacobson. He held the pouch in his palm, testing its weight. He snorted faintly as he put the purse in his pocket.

"The best time to get into the palace is around ten. The Warden usually retires to the private rooms around nine-thirty, so the extra half hour will give you some leeway in case there are unforeseen circumstances. At that time, she can usually be found in the young prince's chambers helping him ready for bed. Now, the elf that you will be meeting is named Kalila. She will be waiting for you in the king's private dining hall which should be clear at that time of night." He pushed a small piece folded piece of paper across the table toward them. "Here's a map of the palace. You should be able to find the room you are looking for easily with that. When you see Kalila you will know her by using the phrase, 'Denerim is lovely this time of the evening' and she will respond by saying, 'Yes, but only when the stars are out.' She will then retrieve the Warden for you and you will wait in the dining room until she arrives."

Isabela glanced nervously around the room. "Is there anything else?"

"I think that's it." Jacobson responded.

"Good." She turned to Gabrielle. "Then we need to get out of here before I'm recognized."

With that, they hurriedly made their way out of the building and headed back to the ship.


	16. Chapter 16:Adieu For Now Love-New Ending

As soon as the two women were back below decks, Gabrielle shed the cape and robes she had been wearing. She really didn't care who saw her standing there in her small clothes, she just had to get out of those itchy mage's robes.

"Okay, will somebody get me some real clothes now?" she asked to the gawking audience that surrounded her. As she looked around, she noticed that Isabela had taken her lead and was almost completely nude as well.

"I second that." exclaimed the pirate. She smiled gratefully at Gabrielle.

Merrill hurried to get Isabela's clothes as Fenris threw a package to Gabrielle. He grinned lasciviously at her as he took in her near naked form.

"Hopefully, these will be more to your liking."

The mage struck a sexy pose for her lover before digging into the packages and finding some more comfortable attire. She chose one of the lightweight white shirts, a pair of dark brown trousers and an ivory tunic with a dark brown sash that matched the pants. Once she was dressed, Fenris approached her from behind, wrapping his powerful arms around her waist, and whispered into her ear.

"While the new clothes are nice, I much prefer to see you without them. Maybe we can find somewhere more private before we have to go into the city this evening. Being away from you these last few days…wanting you…it's driving me mad."

She turned and encircled her arms around his neck. She stared into his deep green eyes, her own filled with longing desire.

"It's a date." She breathed as she playfully bit his lip. She knew exactly what to do to drive him crazy with lust. She could see on his face that he was contemplating pulling her into a dark corner and ravishing her. They were interrupted by the sound of a cough coming from behind her. Fenris looked up and rolled his eyes.

"Gabrielle, thank the Maker you're okay." Anders proclaimed.

She shot Fenris an apologetic smile before swiveling around to face her other lover. She gave him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"I'm fine, sweetie. Nothing to worry about."

Anders' face was distraught. "I woke up and you were gone. When I asked the others about you all they would tell me is that you went into the city with Isabela."

"I'm sorry, love." She apologized. "Isabela and I needed to do some shopping." She backed away from him and circled around. "New clothes see. Now you can have your breeches back."

She beamed at him, her bright blue-green eyes twinkling with expectation.

Anders chuckled at her. "You look beautiful, absolutely glowing."

She leapt into his arms and went to plant her lips on his cheek again. At the last second he turned his face and her lips locked with his. He kissed her softly. He pulled back and shrugged.

"I missed my good morning kiss."

Gabrielle giggled. Sometimes it amazed her how easily he could make her lose control of herself to the point of feeling like a small girl. She reached up and pushed the strands of bangs away from his forehead and gazed at him lovingly. In her heart, she knew that it would be the last day that she would see him that way, at least until the ritual was finished. She recognized the fact that when she returned from the palace, her Anders, the man she adored, would be all but gone, taken over by the demon that dwelled within him. She made the decision to spend a little time alone with Fenris, but to dedicate the remainder of her day to the man standing before her.

"I love you, Anders."

The tall mage searched her eyes as a smile crept across his lips. "It still amazes me…hearing you say that, even after all of these years. Your love has meant everything to me, Gabrielle. I'm sorry that I got lost there for a while."

His words made her want to cry. She could feel tears trying to form in the corners of her eyes as she attempted to blink them back. The realization that he was about to become more lost to her than ever before became a crushing weight around her heart. She would save him, she had to. She couldn't bear the thought of living a life without him in it. She kissed him gently. Suddenly, spending alone time with Fenris didn't seem so important to her in light of the fact that she was about to lose Anders for Maker knew how long. Anders interrupted her thoughts.

"I realize that you probably want to spend some time with Fenris today, considering I had you all to myself last night. But do you think that you and I could spend a little time together before you go to the palace?"

She grinned at him widely. "I would love that."

He returned her smile and embraced her tightly. He kissed her forehead.

"Go on, love. I'll see you in a little while."

She reluctantly pulled away from him and went searching for Fenris. She finally found him leaning against the far wall in the galley. As soon as he saw her walk through the door, he rushed to her and kissed her passionately. The flame of desire for the elf rose up within her once more. Fenris pulled her down to the hard wooden floor and began exploring her body with his mouth and hands. He took her, right there on the floor in front of the galley door. His fervor for her knew no boundaries or borders. They became lost in each other as they found their releases again and again.

Gabrielle panted heavily as she flopped onto Fenris's chest limply. She was completely spent. Her hair was soaked from sweat and sticking to her face and neck. Beads of perspiration trickled down almost every inch of her body. She gazed up at her lover. His chest rose and fell heavily as he smirked at her and tucked her damp hair behind her ear.

"Thank you, Hawke. You have no idea how badly I needed to be with you."

She simpered. "Believe me, it was my pleasure lover."

Fenris snickered. "Have I told you how much I enjoy hearing you call me that?"

Gabrielle pursed her lips in thought. "Actually, I don't think you ever have."

"Well, I do." Fenris told her matter-of–factly. He put his hands on her cheeks and brought her face to his. He kissed her, much more gently and lovingly than before.

"I hate to say it Hawke, but I didn't sleep well last night and I know that we have a long evening ahead of us. Would you mind too terribly much if I took a few hours to rest?"

Gabrielle knew that it was the elf's way of telling her that it was okay for her to spend some time with Anders without actually saying the words.

"If that's what you need to do, Fenris." She said sweetly.

Her legs were shaking from their encounter so she used his broad shoulders to steady herself as she stood. They both dressed and then kissed once more before Fenris headed off to the sleeping quarters.

When Gabrielle emerged from the galley into the cargo hold, she thought it was empty until she spotted Anders sitting against a wall, his left knee drawn to his chest while his right lay straight out in front of him. His left hand dangled limply from his wrist which was resting on his bended knee. His head was pressed against the wall as he stared out into nothingness. The floor creaked beneath Gabrielle's feet as she approached him so he averted his attention to her. Starting with her feet, his eyes trailed up her body. When he got to her face, his own became riddled with a kind of tortured sadness as he turned his focus back to the darkness he had been studying before. She knew that her hair was still damp and mussed from her tryst with Fenris. She cursed herself for not having enough tact to at least run a comb through her mane.

She stepped gingerly as she made her way to his side. She sat down next to him on the floor and bumped his shoulder with hers playfully. His despondent eyes met her apologetic ones. She gave him her best pout and batted her eyelashes. He chuckled in spite of himself and returned her shoulder bump.

"I'm sorry, Gabrielle. It's still hard for me to think of you being with him."

"I understand." she said quietly. Then her voice became cheerful and lighthearted. "But the good news is, I'm yours for the rest of the day…if you want me that is."

Anders rolled his eyes in mock annoyance. "You should know by now that I would spend every moment of my life with you if it were possible."

_If only that were true. _Gabrielle thought sorrowfully. At least she would have a few more hours with him. She forced his bent leg down enough to be able to lay her head across his lap.

"So you got anymore funny stories about my cousin before I go to meet her tonight?"

Gabrielle and Anders spent the rest of the afternoon talking and laughing and just enjoying each other's company, the way they had a thousand times before. She knew that she would cherish those last moments as she faced the trials ahead of her. She would keep those memories close to her heart as she dealt with the demon, lest she forget just what it was that she was fighting to save.

At around eight, Morrigan approached the couple.

"It is time." she stated simply and then turned to leave the two of them alone to say their goodbyes.

"I guess you have to get going." Anders mumbled as he gave her a sad smile.

Gabrielle studied his face closely. She drank it all in, trying to burn every feature into her memory. She reached up and played with one of the stray blonde tresses that lay against the left side of his forehead. She then moved her hand down his face slightly and rubbed the scruff of his cheek with her thumb. Her chest rose and fell heavily as she breathed in his scent. Gabrielle was taking nothing for granted. She let herself get lost in his warm amber eyes as she moved her hand to the back of his head. In one smooth motion she untied and released his blonde mane until it fell all around his face. He gave her a crooked wanton smile just before he took her into his arms and kissed her.

After a few minutes, she pulled away from him just a bit and slid her hands to his chest. She stared at them as she pondered over what she would say to him. In the end, she decided to just relate what was in her heart, hoping that it would reach his. She stared into his eyes, her own as pleading and desperate as her voice and words.

"Anders, I need to say something to you and I ask that you not interrupt or respond. Just let me get everything out."

His gaze was apprehensive, but he did not say a word, choosing instead to just nod his agreement to her request.

"No matter what happens after tonight, please always remember that I love you. No matter where you go, no matter how far away, that will not change. When you feel like giving up, when you feel like you are completely lost along with all hope, just remind yourself that I will find you. I won't ever give up until I do. I lost my entire family, but I will not lose you to anyone or anything. You are my first love and the very best friend I have ever had and I will not let you go. I _will _find a way to save you and we will be together again. Please, just always keep that knowledge in your heart, no matter what."

Before Anders could say anything, Gabrielle grabbed his head in her hands, her fingers entangled in his loose blonde hair, and pulled him into her for one final goodbye kiss before she left for the castle. She wanted to make sure that the kiss was something that would be burned into his heart and his soul as well as his memory. She put every emotion she had ever felt for him in that kiss. Every bit of love, passion, friendship and tenderness mixed with just a few dabs of hurt and anger plus a whole host of others. She let her magic flow freely and openly from her lips to his. Soon they were both enveloped in the colors of her feelings. A bright light surrounded them made up of reds, blues and yellows and every color between. They swirled around the couple like leaves dancing in a small whirlwind. Gabrielle gave it her everything in hopes that Anders would know just how much he meant to her and that he would never forget that. When she felt that her mana was almost completely spent, she pulled her lips away. She touched his cheek one final time before she silently turned and walked out the door.


	17. Chapter 17: Into the Palace

All eyes were on Gabrielle as she walked through the door of the sleeping quarters. It took everything she had not to let the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes flow. She just hoped that she had done enough to help Anders hold on until she could free him from his curse. She looked for the armor that she and Isabela had purchased earlier in the day, but did not see it anywhere. She turned to Morrigan with a questioning look on her face.

"Where's the armor that I'm supposed to wear tonight?"

Morrigan turned and picked up a small bundle that was lying in the hammock behind her. She tossed it gracefully at Gabrielle.

"I am not sure what you and Isabela were thinking when you chose that armor, but these clothes would be more to the Warden's liking."

Isabela crossed her arms. "I told you, that armor was almost exactly what she was wearing when I met her. How was I supposed to know it wasn't the way she normally dressed?"

Gabrielle opened the package and searched through the items it contained. Surely there had to be more to it than that. Her left eyebrow raised in an arch as she looked at Morrigan as if to say _you can't be serious_. The cold stare that the witch returned told Gabrielle that she was definitely serious, dead serious. The younger mage gathered up the clothes in front of her and ducked behind a sheet that someone had hung in the corner of the room. It took Gabrielle a few minutes to figure out exactly how the accoutrements went on. After she had put on every piece of clothing that was in the package, she still felt naked.

The main part of the outfit reminded her of a tattered blue leather tunic. Her hips were almost completely uncovered while two wide strips of material covered her buttocks and her privates. The top part of it covered her back completely, but left little to the imagination in the front as the neckline reached to just above her navel and barely covered her breasts. A thick brown belt hung loosely around her waist and matching fur pauldrons, similar to the ones Anders always wore, covered her shoulders. The biggest difference was that these pauldrons had a neckpiece that almost went up to her chin and wrapped around her neck loosely. The cinch was tightened by a large gold ring that lay on her bare chest like an amulet. The matching boots were also made of blue leather and skin tight. The tops of them reached her upper thighs and they fit more like stockings than outer footwear.

To complete the ensemble, there was a tight hair band to cover her own hair and a dark brown wig sitting on a bust atop a small wooden table in the corner. She tucked her hair into the band and placed the wig on her head. A mirror that had been taken from the captain's quarters hung above the table which helped her to straighten the thick shoulder length mane. As she pinned the wig into place, she noticed that someone had taken a great deal of time and effort to get the details of the Warden's hair correct. It was brushed smooth and straight with the exception of two delicate braids on either side that pinned together in the back. When she finished with the wig, she stepped back to get a better idea of the entire picture. She gazed at herself in the mirror and began to doubt that she could pull off their scheme. She felt embarrassed at seeing herself that way. She knew that she just had to shake off the feeling of utter dread that was welling up inside her.

Reluctantly, Gabrielle stepped slowly from behind the hanging cloth. She looked around the room at all of the gawking eyes that were burning a hole through her. Someone let out a low whistle and she could feel her face turning bright red as she searched the group for the source. It was Anders. She hadn't expected to see him there. She thought that he would have stayed in the hold and waited for her to depart, but there he was, grinning from ear to ear. Fenris on the other hand was slack-jawed and wide-eyed.

"So, is this okay?" she asked timidly.

Fenris scowled at Morrigan, before his eyes became fixated on his lover again.

"Are you sure that showing all of this skin is necessary? That looks more like undergarments than robes."

Morrigan was dismissive. "Tis how the Warden dresses. In fact, she was wearing that exact same wardrobe when she slayed the archdemon."

Anders chose that moment to put in his own two cents. "I'm afraid Morrigan's right. In fact that's the same outfit she wore for most of her time in Amaranthine. She had several sets of those robes. They were her favorites."

Fenris shook his head in disgust as he eyed Gabrielle's clothes and then Morrigan's. "So I take it all female mages in Ferelden dress like prostitutes."

"Only the attractive ones." Isabela quipped.

Hearing Fenris's words made Gabrielle even more self conscious. She wanted to crawl in the deepest hole she could find and never come out. She felt like her body was on fire from the embarrassment she was suffering as she stared at the wooden floor beneath her. When she looked up at Fenris, she expected to see his disgust written on his face. He was still staring at her, but instead of revulsion, his eyes betrayed longing and desire.

Before she could say anything else, Gabrielle was whipped around by Isabela who began applying make-up to her face. When the task was complete the pirate smiled at her handiwork. Instead of turning the young mage to face Morrigan, Isabela turned Gabrielle toward Anders to ask for his opinion.

"I did it from memory, mind you, so I'm not sure it is perfect but I think it's pretty damn close, don't you?"

Anders crossed his arms as he inspected Gabrielle's face carefully and slowly. He put his left hand up to his stubble covered chin and rubbed it between his thumb and index finger.

"I think you did an excellent job Isabela. Honestly, I can hardly tell the difference. I think that she will be able to fool the guards rather easily…" His gaze turned to one of warning. "as long as she remembers to hold herself like a noble. For the Maker's sake, Gabrielle, quit acting so shy. You fought the Arishok in single combat and defeated the possessed Knight Commander of Kirkwall. Showing a little skin here and there shouldn't be able to put you off from your goal. Besides, you look absolutely stunning. You have nothing to be ashamed of."

Anders was right of course. Hearing him say those words and seeing the confidence he had in her gave her strength. That coupled with the fact that seeing him made her realize once again how important this was, imbued her with the confidence she needed. She gave him a slight bow before retrieving the dark red cape that was awaiting her in Merrill's outstretched arm. She threw the garment around her shoulders and fastened the clasp at her neck.

It was almost nine thirty before she was completely ready to go. Morrigan opened the door for Gabrielle and her two companions to leave. Just as she stepped toward it, she turned and ran to the other side of the room throwing her arms around Anders' waist. She hugged him tightly before kissing him on the cheek.

"I love you, Anders." she whispered.

"I love you too, Gabrielle."

She pulled his ear closer to her lips, her words barely audible. "Don't forget me, my love."

She hurriedly kissed his cheek once more before she whisked out the door and up the stairs into the waiting night.

The three companions made their way to the palace as quickly as they could without drawing too much attention to themselves. Gabrielle wondered how strange they looked walking through the dark alleys and back roads of the city dressed in their hooded cloaks. If they looked suspicious, nobody around them seemed to notice or care.

When they finally reached the castle, they spotted two heavily armed guards outside the big closed gate. It was their first test and Gabrielle hoped that she could get them all through it safely. She felt her courage waiver only slightly before she straightened her shoulders and approached the uniformed men.

"Halt!" the shorter man on the right shouted. "State your name and business."

He was slightly burlier and definitely the most frightening looking of the two. His hair was black as night, both on his head and his face. His beard was thick and wild looking. Most soldiers had to keep their facial hair trimmed, but this man was quite the opposite. The little bit of skin on his face that was visible was tanned dark and leathery. His eyes were black as the void itself. He was definitely one scary looking customer. Gabrielle wondered briefly if his appearance was strictly for intimidation purposes before pulling back her hood and answering his challenge in a syrupy voice.

"It is I, Angelina Amell, Commander of the Grey, Hero of Ferelden."

The words she spoke seemed rather pompous to her, but the information that Jacobson had written on the back of the map had said that it was the answer the real Angelina would give.

Both guards closed their eyes and bowed to her.

_So far so good_, she thought.

This time it was the guard on the left's turn to speak.

"Good evening, Warden. It's unusual to see you out this time of evening. And who are your companions, if I may ask?"

"Yes, well… the king requested that I go to the newly set up Dalish camp outside the city and speak to the elves there. He wanted to make sure that they were not a danger and wanted them to know that he wished for communications to remain open and peaceful. While I was in their camp, the elves decided to send their First and their best warrior so that they might speak to the king themselves…to gauge the truth of his words."

The scary guard held out his hands to the two cloaked elves.

"You will surrender your weapons before entering the palace."

Fenris shot a reluctant glare at Gabrielle from under his hood. She nodded curtly to him to let him know that he didn't have a choice in the matter. She heard him muttering curses in Tevene as he handed his sword to the guard.

"What was that?" the guard asked.

"Ummm…nothing. It was nothing. I think that it's some sort of Dalish prayer or some such thing." Gabrielle replied quickly.

Once the weapons were taken from the elves, the taller guard called out into the night.

"Open the gate!"

Slowly, the iron bars began to rise into the air. While they waited, Gabrielle replaced the cloak's hood once again allowing it to mask her head and face. They held back until the gateway was about a foot over Gabrielle's head. Once it had reached that point, the three companions moved forward toward the royal residence.

As they walked through the courtyard, they encountered at least a dozen guards making their nightly rounds. Gabrielle's legs were shaking so badly that she was honestly surprised that they continued to hold her weight, let alone allow movement. She wasn't sure if it was the heavy cloak or her nervousness, but by the time they reached the outer doors of the palace, she was sweating so badly that she felt droplets streaming down her back. She hoped that the make-up that Isabela had taken such great care to apply hadn't become a complete mess.

At the outer doors, another pair of guards stopped them. These men were obviously of a higher standing than the previous guards had been. They were both clean shaven and their armor was highly polished and decorated to show their status among the other men.

"Halt!" one of them cried.

Gabrielle had hoped that she would just be able to get inside without being stopped again, but she was having no such luck.

"Password." the guard demanded.

Gabrielle remembered that the answer was written in Jacobson's instructions. She searched her memory, but try as she may she just couldn't think of it.

_Damn it all!_

The guard approached her until he was staring down at her from the end of his nose. He reminded her of an eagle that was swooping down on its prey.

_That's it_! She thought.

She straightened her shoulders as she looked up at the tall man towering over her.

"Swooping is bad." she declared in a sing-song voice.

Gabrielle expected the guard to move aside, but he just stood there, eyeing her suspiciously. She had to think of something quick. She unclasped the cloak from her neck and whipped it around, putting it over the guard's forearm.

"Lieutenant, would you please be a dear and make sure that the washing mistress gets this. I would give it to one of the maidservants inside, but I don't want to disturb them at this late hour."

She batted her long eyelashes at him and smiled at him coyly. He stammered a bit as he looked at her, looked at the garment draped across his arm and then back to her again. He put his fist to his heart, and bowed his head sharply.

"B..But of course, mistress. I will see that it goes down to the laundry right away."

Gabrielle beamed at him and then returned his bow with a short nod.

"Thank you." She said sweetly, her voice so sugar coated it made her want to gag.

The large man stepped aside as the other held the door open for her and her small party. Once inside, with the big doors shut behind them, Gabrielle let out a huge sigh of relief.

_That was close_.

Once she had gained her composure, she looked at the room that they had walked into. The ceilings were high, painted with beautiful scenes of Andraste and the Maker. Large crystal chandeliers graced the plafond every few feet, guiding guests through the great hall. The walls surrounding them were decorated with large tapestries and paintings placed between each of the many doors on both sides. Farther down the room was a large staircase leading up to a big, open arched doorway. They walked toward it, knowing that the private rooms of the king were upstairs. A clock near them struck the hour of ten. Gabrielle tried to appear as casual as possible as she rapidly ascended the steps.

When they made it through the archway, Gabrielle noticed that the hallway they found themselves in was much like the one they had just left, but on a considerably smaller scale. At the end of the hall, she spotted two more guards, the final pair. When they neared them, she realized that one of the guards was a woman. It didn't make them look any less fearsome however. These two were obviously among the elite, the personal protectors of the king and his family.

Unlike the guards they had seen before, including the ones standing outside the main door, these sentries had shining silver plate with the Therin crest emblazoned in red across their chests. Their armor was massive and threatening. Gabrielle swallowed back a lump that had formed in her throat. She knew that these two would be the hardest to convince. Since they were the personal guards of the royal family, Jacobson had said that her cousin had a more intimate relationship with them.

_What were their names again_? Gabrielle asked herself.

Emmit and Ridon…but which was which? Jacobson's notes hadn't said and she didn't think about how important that information would be until that very second.

_Balls…Now what?_

She wondered if she could get away with it if she didn't make eye contact and pretended that she was in a hurry. Just before they reached the guards, she called out to them, without looking at either.

"Good evening, Emmit…Ridon." It was not difficult to make herself sound distracted.

Both sentries clapped their fists to their hearts and bowed their heads sharply. The male remained silent but the female stepped in front of her and spoke.

"Good evening, mistress. I thought that you would already be in for the evening."

_At least they hadn't seen the Warden in the castle since they began their shift._

"No, the errand that the king asked me to perform took longer than I anticipated. The Dalish requested that I bring two of their people with me as ambassadors, so they will be our guests for the night. Do you know where Kalila might be? I must ask her to prepare a room for our visitors."

_Maker, please let this work._

The woman before Gabrielle remained silent for a few moments as she thought.

"The last time I saw Kalila, she mentioned something about putting out the china for the morning meal in the private dining room."

The young mage smiled sweetly at the guardswoman.

"Thank you. Now if you don't mind, I am getting very tired and I still have to debrief the king and inform him about our guests."

"Of course, mistress."

The woman stepped aside and both guards again clapped their fists to their hearts and bowed the three of them through the doors to the private chambers. Once they were closed behind them, Gabrielle let out another sigh of relief before pulling Jacobson's folded map from the tiny pouch on her belt. She studied it carefully and once she got her bearings, she headed toward the private dining room where Kalila would be waiting for them.

When they walked through the tall archway, they spotted an older elven woman standing by the opposite doorway looking worried. Gabrielle approached the woman and cleared her throat. The elf jumped slightly at the sound.

"My, but you gave me a start mistress." the elder woman exclaimed. "You are out rather late tonight."

Gabrielle's face was emotionless, just in case she was speaking to the wrong elf. Anders had always described her cousin as being very formal and rigid when dealing with servants and the lower ranked Wardens in her charge.

"I apologize, but you must admit…Denerim is lovely this time of the evening."

Gabrielle waited with bated breath. She prayed that the elf before her gave her the correct reply. She just wanted to get this over with. She knew that when she was finally able to meet her cousin, all of this cloak and dagger bullshit could end and she could just be Hawke again.

"Yes, but only when the stars are out." the woman said with a sly smile.

Gabrielle exhaled sharply. _Thank the Maker._

The elf departed the room quickly and the three intruders stayed behind watching the door across the hall that the woman had just vanished behind. They stood there for what seemed like an eternity and Gabrielle started to wonder if they may have been betrayed. She had an uneasy feeling forming in her gut and began to face the possibility that Emmit and Ridon might show up any second to drag them away. At least they weren't completely helpless. She still had her staff and Merrill didn't exactly need one to cast spells. Fenris was without his sword, but he was a weapon to himself and didn't really need it to take out two guards.

Suddenly, Gabrielle felt a muscular arm wrap around her waist as she was pulled into a strange man's body. Just as she was about to let out a yell to alert the others, she felt her hair being pulled away from her neck and a pair of lips close around the nape. Instead of screaming, she sucked in a deep breath between her teeth as she felt the man's hardness thrust against her buttocks. She had to admit that it felt very good and very familiar. His free hand groped her breast for a moment before it began to trail downward. It stopped at her slightly bulging belly.

"Oh dear," the man whispered in her ear. "It looks like somebody needs to start laying off the sweets. I guess you don't get as much exercise as you use to, do you love?"

Fenris must have heard the voice because he turned to them, rage reflecting in his deep green eyes. Gabrielle shook her head at him frantically and mouthed the word, "No." She put on her best smile and turned to her amorous captor.

"Hello Alistair, it's nice to see you again."


	18. Chapter 18: Angelina

It had been a very long day within the palace. Angelina was looking forward to spending some much needed alone time with her lover. From the time she awoke that morning, there had been nothing but problems around her. She wasn't sure if her day could get any worse.

The first thing she had been faced with that morning was another message from Kirkwall asking the king to send aid to quell all of the rioting and rebellion in the city. Ever since their Chantry was destroyed and their Knight-Commander killed, there was a non-stop barrage of letters from the Free Marches. Many came from Kirkwall, but the rest were from the other city states. Most of the letters were angry diatribes written by the newly crowned Prince of Starkhaven. The prince kept demanding that Alistair stand behind him and send Ferelden's armies to march on Kirkwall to delve out justice for the murder of their Grand Cleric. The prince went on and on about mages and how they would bring down the heavens if they weren't stopped. Since Angelina was a mage, it probably wasn't the best way to ask for the king's aid.

Besides, once she and Alistair discovered that her cousin was being heavily implicated in instigating the events, they decided that they would not involve themselves in the affair. Ferelden had enough troubles without taking on those of the Free Marches as well. Not only that, but no matter what side they chose they wouldn't be able to win with the people. No, it was better if they stayed out of that mess entirely.

The next problem that the Warden had been faced with was the fact that they lost yet another nanny. Of course the woman came up with the excuse that she needed to take care of someone in her own family and hoped that the king would understand. All of the nannies came up with that very same explanation. It was true that Duncan was a handful, but he was just a little boy. Surely there was someone out there capable of handling his high spiritedness. Angelina didn't mind taking care of him herself, but there were many matters of state that she had to attend to on a daily basis so she just couldn't do it alone.

Then there were the bickering nobles to contend with not to mention the flooding in the palace basement after someone was digging around down there for Maker only knows what. She never did find out why there was a six foot by seven foot hole being dug under the castle. All she knew was that an artesian well was discovered and began seeping throughout the cellars and into the dungeon.

Then of course there were the weekly petitioners. There were the usual complaints from shopkeepers that their stores were not rebuilt to their former glory or that their neighbors had gotten more money for their reconstruction. It was the same headache every week and from the same greedy claimants. There were also the workmen who were paid to perform the repairs. Each one of them that appeared before her asking for more money than they had originally contracted for. As the reconstruction was being completed and as the invoices from the craftsmen came in, Angelina would inspect each of them carefully before any gold was given to ensure that the kingdom wasn't being over-billed for the jobs. She found many discrepancies as well as bogus charges on most of the itemizations. Of course, she told the creditors that they would have to correct their statements before they received any payment, which made her very unpopular among all of the workmen.

On that day, however, she found herself giving into a few of their demands due to the fact that Duncan had managed to ruin several pieces of clothing and some equipment as he ran around the throne room. He had been more rambunctious than usual that day and the embarrassment of it had cost the crown. She would have to make sure to set up interviews first thing in the morning for a new nanny so that there would not be a repeat of the day's events the following week.

Yes, it had been a very trying day indeed. At that very moment she was waiting for Duncan to finish dressing for bed. Unless she was away, she made sure that she was always the one who got him ready for the night and tucked him in. His own mother had died while giving birth to him. Because Alistair had an heir, he did not have any reason to remarry after the queen's death. He and Angelina decided that they would raise Duncan together as a family. The Warden was the only mother that Duncan had ever known and she loved the boy as if she had carried him herself. As far as the king was concerned, Angelina didn't care that she could never be queen. She neither wanted nor needed any title as long as she was able to remain at the side of the man she loved.

A little blonde haired boy ran into his sleeping chambers from his private washroom and straight into his mother's outstretched arms. She hugged him tightly and stroked his hair as he laid his head upon her shoulder. He looked up at the woman holding him and kissed her on the cheek. She smiled down at him and returned the gesture.

"Okay Duncan, time for bed."

The boy began to whine as his mother carried him to his bed and laid him down gently, covering him with the thick royal red blanket with gold trim bearing the Therin crest. The young prince was having a difficult time keeping his eyes open as his mother hummed a tune she had learned from her friend Leiliana years ago during the Blight. By the time Angelina's song was finished, Duncan was fast asleep. She kissed him on his forehead and whispered, "I love you" as she rose to her feet. Finally, she blew out the fire in the lamp that was sitting on his bedside table as she walked from the room.

After Angelina closed her son's door, she began to walk toward the king's bedchambers so she could take a nice hot bath and relax before she and Alistair retired for the evening. Just inside the door of the master's royal suites, she was stopped by one of her servants. The older elf woman bowed low.

"Excuse me mistress, but there is someone in the dining room who wishes to speak with you."

The Warden smiled.

_Alistair must be feeling lonely. _She thought.

It was a little game that the king played with her when he was feeling particularly neglected. He would get one of the servants to tell her that someone was waiting to see her, she would show up and it would be her love. She didn't mind the ruse, in fact she found it quite endearing.

She nodded to the elf. "Thank you Kalila, I will head there momentarily."

The elf bowed once more before taking her leave. Angelina decided that she needed to freshen up a bit before meeting Alistair. Once she had washed up, reapplied her make-up and changed into the dressing gown that the king had given to her last Satinalia, the Warden proceeded to the dining room

When she reached the room she was greeted with an unusual sight. Alistair was there, but he was not alone. There were also two elves, a female who was obviously Dalish and the male was something she had never seen before. He had strange white markings all over his body that seemed to be etched into his skin. His silver bangs hung loosely over his eyes, but did nothing to hide the fact that he looked infuriated as he stared daggers between the king and the woman standing in front of him.

Alistair was talking animatedly to a woman who was dressed in blue witches robes just like the ones that the Warden always wore. The woman's hair was also the exact same color, length and style as her own. Something was definitely off about the scene that was playing out before her. Angelina decided to remain silent for just a while longer as she listened in on the banter that was occurring between the strange woman and the king. Alistair was actually flirting with the imitator.

Angelina's skin grew hot as her jealousy overtook her. She stomped over to the stranger and grabbed her by the shoulder, whipping the woman around to face her wrath. The Warden was immediately taken aback when she came face to face with her doppelganger. The woman before her was slightly taller, but the resemblance was uncanny and more than a bit unnerving. The stranger smiled brightly at her.

"Hello cousin. It's nice to finally meet you."


	19. Chapter 19: A Family Reunion

Gabrielle found her cousin's resemblance a little unsettling. The first time that they had come face to face was in Lothering. Gabrielle was only a couple of years older than Angelina, but due to the stress of taking on the responsibility of her entire family she looked years older than the Warden. After almost six years, however, the two looked more alike than ever. There were a few subtle differences here and there, but they were not very noticeable unless one looked closely. The Warden eyed her suspiciously.

"Gabrielle Hawke, I presume…Alistair told me that he met with you not long ago in Kirkwall. He said that you and I look alike, but I had no idea how true that was."

Gabrielle laughed. "I know what you mean. I've been told that by a few people, but it's definitely a bit of a shock coming face to face with you."

An awkward silence fell on the room as Gabrielle tried to think of something to say. She saw her cousin glance in Fenris's direction and realized that she hadn't introduced her entourage.

"I'm sorry, I forgot my manners. Let me introduce you to my friends."

She walked toward her two companions and pointed them out as she presented their names.

"This is Merrill."

The elven girl bowed her head to the king's mistress. "Ma Nehn, Falon."

Angelina smiled and nodded to Merrill. "Andaran atish'an"

"Ma serannas." Replied the elf.

"And this is Fenris."

Fenris did not bow to Angelina, but gave a slight nod. "Avanna Warden."

Angelina's brow furrowed. "You are from Tevinter, then?"

"Yes."

"Interesting" the Warden mumbled.

Angelina scrutinized the three strangers before addressing her cousin once more.

"While it is indeed lovely to finally meet you Gabrielle, I daresay that you did not travel all the way to Denerim just to introduce yourself. Alistair and I know of the events that took place in Kirkwall, and as much as I would like to help you we have already decided that we will not get involved with that conflict at this time."

Gabrielle shook her head. "I understand Angelina, and I'm not asking you to. What happened in Kirkwall actually has very little to do with why we are here." She stepped closer to her cousin and whispered so the others could not hear. "Is there any way that you could set us up with a room for the night? I would like to discuss everything with you and the king, but Merrill has a big mouth and I don't want to say a whole lot in front of her."

Angelina acknowledged her cousin's words by calling out for a servant to direct them to the nearest guest rooms. As they followed the maid servant out of the dining room, Angelina called out.

"I will meet you back here in twenty minutes cousin."

The three of them were led to a suite of rooms that were near the doors leading to the more public areas of the palace. As soon as the servant left them, Gabrielle tore off the wig and hair band. There was a basin and ewer sitting atop a small table with spindly legs in the corner of the room between the window and the head of the bed. The ewer was full of fresh water, so she poured some into the basin and used it to quickly freshen up and wash her hair. She used one of the fluffy white towels she found in the wardrobe to dry herself. As she was toweling her wet hair, Gabrielle explained to Merrill that she and Fenris would be meeting with Alistair and Angelina in a few minutes and Merrill would need to remain in the room. The young mage expected that the elf might be upset about being left behind, but Merrill was actually relieved. She told Gabrielle that being around royalty made her nervous and she would rather not make a fool of herself. The mage sent up a silent prayer to the Maker that the elf didn't argue the point.

Ten minutes after they had entered the room, there was a knock on the door. A young serving girl curtsied to Fenris as she handed him a small bundle of folded up clothes with an attached note. He handed the items to Gabrielle. The message was from Alistair in his own script.

_You mentioned that you were uncomfortable in the robes you were wearing, so I thought you might find these more to your liking. Angelina says that you may keep them if you like because she doesn't care for them._

Gabrielle didn't care what it was, as long as she could get out of those awful witch's robes. She hastily shed the hideous robes she was wearing and replaced them with the clothes that Alistair had sent. She took a look in the mirror and smiled. This new outfit was undeniably more fitting for her. She wore a purple silk wraparound, long-sleeved tunic with silver trim that went down to just below her hips. A silver sash tied at the waist to keep the tunic together while a matching mid thigh length skirt and silk dressing boots completed the ensemble. The clothes reminded her of the red and gold finery that she had left in her estate back in Kirkwall. The thought of everything she lost and everything she had to leave behind gave her pause. Her introspection was interrupted by Fenris's strong arms being wrapped around her waist from behind. He rested his chin on her shoulder as he gazed at her image in the mirror and smiled at her approvingly.

"These clothes are much more suitable, Hawke. You look beautiful."

She placed her hands over his and spoke to his mirrored form. "Thank you Fenris."

A quick glance at the large clock standing in the corner by the door told her that they had to get to the dining room immediately. They only had a few minutes before they would be late in meeting her cousin and the king. She kissed her lover's cheek quickly before releasing herself from his grasp and walking out the door.

By the time they returned to the dining room, it had been exactly twenty minutes since they had left the royal couple. Alistair and Angelina were already sitting, waiting for them. On the table, there were trays of smoked meats and cheeses along with varying types of sauces and crackers. There were also a couple of bottles of wine and a fresh pot of tea. Angelina smiled at the two visitors.

"I wasn't sure if you would be hungry or not, so I took the liberty of having these delivered from the kitchen."

Gabrielle and Fenris thanked the woman for her thoughtfulness and sat down across the table from the couple. Alistair cleared his throat nervously, a look of embarrassment on his face as he addressed Gabrielle.

"By the way, I'm sorry about my earlier comment about your…well…about what I said regarding you and sweets…I didn't mean to offend you and I didn't mean to say that you're fat or anything." He sighed loudly. "Maybe I should just shut up."

Gabrielle shook her head and smiled. "It's fine your majesty…"

"Please, call me Alistair." he interrupted.

"Okay Alistair, anyway please don't worry about that. I realize that I'm not as trim as I use to be, but I have a good reason…I am with child."

Alistair choked on the piece of cheese that he had just popped into his mouth. When he was finally able to cough it up he looked at Gabrielle with worry. She wondered briefly if her cousin noticed that.

"Congratulations." Angelina said sweetly.

"Thank you, cousin. I only found out myself just a couple of weeks ago. I'm having twins."

Even more coughing came from the king. He pounded on his chest with his fist. "Ooh, sorry about that…must have gone down the wrong way."

He quickly gulped down the glass of wine that was in front of him. Angelina eyed him curiously.

Gabrielle continued. "We have estimated that I am right around nine or ten weeks along."

She could see that Alistair was doing a mental count and noticed that he visibly relaxed after a few moments.

"All better now, love?" Angelina asked him skeptically.

The king's face was still flushed from embarrassment and his fit of coughing. He grinned sheepishly at the others who were sitting around the table.

"Yes, yes…I'm fine my dear. You would think that I would have learned to chew my food by now given my age. Although most people have always maintained that I'm nothing more than a very large child most of the time."

Gabrielle bit her bottom lip to stifle the fit of giggles that threatened to emerge from her. Fenris shot an ill-tempered glare in her direction. Unlike Angelina, the elf knew exactly what had made the king so jumpy and he clearly didn't find the situation amusing.

Angelina, seemingly deciding to ignore her mate, chose to take that moment to address the situation that brought her cousin to Denerim.

"Gabrielle, you said that your visit has little to do with the events in Kirkwall…so what exactly is all this about?"

Gabrielle exhaled slowly. "I need your help, Angelina. There is a demon that threatens the entire world, and you and I are the only ones who can stop him."

The Warden appeared to be doubtful. "From what I have heard, there was no shortage of demons in Kirkwall. It was my understanding that you had no real trouble dealing with them. How is this one any different?"

Gabrielle's eyes turned sorrowful as she continued. "Because this demon is one of a kind, there is no other like it…and because it resides in someone I love and promised to save. Look, I know that you separated Arl Eamon's son from a demon so I know it's possible, but this demon is very powerful and it will take many more resources and more time than Connor's exorcism did. Not only that, but if this one is sent back to the Fade or if its host is killed, it will just find someone else to occupy. At the moment, I think it wants nothing more than to occupy me."

Angelina shook her head in confusion. "So what's makes this demon so different from any other? What makes it more dangerous than others?"

Gabrielle paused for a moment as she tried to come up with the best answer. "Well first of all, this particular demon was once a benevolent spirit of the Fade. I'm not exactly sure how it happened or when, but I believe it became what it is even before it entered its host."

Angelina's brow became creased as she thought. "It almost had to become a demon first. I knew a Fade spirit once and he told me that a spirit would never possess the living because that was an act of demons. He also told a friend of mine that demons are just spirits that have been perverted by their desires."

Gabrielle nodded. "I believe that is true, yes. I know the Fade spirit of which you speak…Justice. He is the one that we need to destroy."

The Warden became incensed. "No. I know Justice. He has nothing but contempt for demons and he would never occupy a living body. If he was going to do that he wouldn't have remained in Kristoff's corpse for so long. Who told you that it was Justice? The demon himself? You know as well as I do that demons lie. Who did he occupy? Whoever it is couldn't possibly know the real Justice."

Gabrielle took hold of her cousin's hands in order to calm her and because she was about to give her even worse news. She knew that the Warden would know the truth of her words when she gave the name of the possessed person.

"Justice lives inside a mage. I met him in Kirkwall after he ran away from the Grey Wardens in Amaranthine."

Angelina's face dropped. She made one last attempt to deny the truth of her cousin's words. "So he was a prisoner of the Wardens and escaped? I take it that he was captured after I left Vigil's Keep?"

Gabrielle's heart was hurting for the woman as she shook her head. "No, he served under you and fought alongside you when you defeated the Mother."

The Warden closed her eyes and let out a short shaky breath.

"Anders." she whispered.

Gabrielle felt tears welling up in her own eyes as she looked into her cousin's glistening blue-green ones.

"Yes, Anders…Justice talked him into allowing the possession so they could work together to help free all mages."

Angelina interrupted. "But that doesn't sound anything like the Anders that I knew. The Anders that I knew was quite selfish and even stated on many occasions that the only mage he cared about freeing was himself."

Gabrielle felt a twinge of anger, knowing exactly why Anders took Justice up on his proposed alliance. She thought that her cousin should know it too.

"Well, from what I was told, Justice used Anders' pain and distress to put the idea into his head. Anders had all but given up on everything, so Justice gave him a purpose."

Angelina looked at her cousin like the woman was mad. "I don't know of anything that could have caused Anders that much misery. He was always so carefree, especially after he realized that he didn't have to go back to the Circle."

Gabrielle gave her cousin a disgusted frown. For Alistair's sake, she had to make her words as cryptic as possible, but still get the message through to the Warden loud and clear.

"He was heartbroken over events that occurred shortly after the Keep was attacked and shortly before you departed for Denerim."

Realization suddenly dawned on Angelina's face. Her eyes darted back and forth at the table in front of her and she covered her open mouth with a trembling hand as she let out a sharp gasp. She obviously wanted to say something about what her cousin had just told her, but chose to remain silent due to her lover's proximity. Angelina had never told Alistair what happened between her and Anders on her last night at the Keep. Part of her was sure that he knew, but they never spoke about it. In light of the current situation, she didn't think that it was a good time to bring it up to him. She looked to her cousin once again.

"But why would Justice do such a thing? What could have possibly caused him to become a demon?"

That was one thing that Gabrielle wasn't sure about. Obviously when the group of Wardens met Justice in the Fade, he was a good spirit. She had no idea what caused him to have the emotions and desires that changed him.

"I honestly don't know the answer to that, cousin. I know it had something to do with giving into his desires, but I don't know how that came about. It doesn't matter anymore though. What matters now is that he needs to be destroyed without harming Anders. He cannot be allowed to go back into the Fade."

Angelina still wasn't entirely convinced of the precariousness of the situation.

"But why not? It could be years before he surfaces again."

Gabrielle decided that she needed to make the Warden aware of the gravity of their position.

"Right now, the demon has one single solitary purpose…to enact wrath upon the world. It will stop at nothing until it destroys every Circle and every Chantry in Thedas. It has already shown that it will kill any and all who get in its way. The Kirkwall Chantry was just the beginning."

Angelina closed her eyes. "So Anders was the apostate who destroyed the Chantry and killed all of those people?"

Gabrielle frowned. "More precisely, Anders was the puppet who destroyed the building at the instigation of a demon."

She turned her gaze to the man sitting beside her cousin. "There is another thing I think that you should know about its plans. I believe it aims to kill you Alistair and take over your armies to aid it in its cause."

Alistair was taken aback by that information. "Well, it can certainly try."

Gabrielle shook her head. "I believe that you need to get out of Ferelden as quickly as possible, before the demon makes its move to strike. If you are far away from it, then it is one less thing that we need to worry about."

The king's face became thoughtful for a moment. "Well, I have been thinking of taking a trip to Antiva to follow up on some information about my family that has recently come to light."

Gabrielle grinned at him. She was relieved to hear that he was actually considering her warning as a true threat. Alistair was a good king and a good man. She did not want to see any harm come to him.

"That's an excellent idea, Alistair."

He frowned. "The only problem is that it will take some time to get everything together for that type of enterprise. I can get a ship easily, but I will have to hire a captain and crew, gather supplies…that will be no easy feat."

Fenris, who had remained quiet throughout the whole meeting, took that moment to speak out.

"What about Isabela? I'm sure that she would be willing to captain a ship for the king. I doubt that we will need to do anymore sailing for awhile."

Gabrielle voiced her agreement. "That's an excellent idea Fenris, and they can take Varric along with them. That way they will be far out of harm's way and that will be two less people that I will have to worry about falling under the demon's influence. I have been a little worried about Varric since he and Anders are such close friends. Sailing with Isabela and Alistair to Antiva would be the perfect solution. I can send Merrill to go get Isabela first thing in the morning so you can speak to her about it."

"Sounds good to me." replied the king.

Angelina had obviously been lost deep in her thoughts. Gabrielle wondered if she had even heard any of the plans that Alistair was making.

"Are you okay cousin?" she asked the Warden.

Angelina blinked a couple of times as she came out of her thoughts.

"Yes. I'm fine…I was just wondering about something you said earlier. You said that the demon had to be destroyed, that it could not be allowed to reenter the Fade. But even if we enter Anders' dream, his Fade, and kill it won't it just be able to occupy someone else? Demons aren't truly destroyed in the Fade, they are just sort of…relocated to a different part of it."

Gabrielle nodded. "That is true. We cannot just kill the demon. We have to destroy it so that only the very essence of Justice remains. That part must be absorbed by innocence and purity in order to avoid the return of the spirit or the demon."

Angelina was stumped and it showed clearly in her facial expression. "I don't understand, how do we accomplish that? How did you even come to that conclusion?"

Gabrielle placed her hand on her lower abdomen. "I carry the innocence and purity with me, and the solution to our problem was given to me by an old friend of yours. She knows of a ritual that will allow Justice's essence to be absorbed by one of my babies."

A look of utter loathing and repugnance marked Alistair's face.

"Morrigan." The very word seemed to be like bitter acid to the king.

Gabrielle nodded. "Yes, Morrigan. She is waiting with the others on the ship. We cannot possibly hope to do this without her."

Angelina chuckled at her lover's utter contempt of the witch. "I cannot say that I'm surprised to hear of her involvement. Especially in something like this…Okay, so now that I know what's going on and about the ritual, where do we start?"

Gabrielle smiled at her cousin gratefully. "So you _will _help us?"

Angelina returned the gesture with a wide grin of her own. "Didn't you hear? Saving the world is what I do. It's kind of my thing. Apparently it is yours as well. It does not surprise me at all that we will be working together. I honestly should have seen it coming a long time ago. I guess us Amell's are just destined for greater things."

Gabrielle snickered. "I suppose you are right, cousin…Anyway, in answer to your question, the first thing we will need to do is get some lyrium. According to Morrigan, we are going to need quite a bit. The next thing we will need is a relic that can be found in the dungeons of the Circle Tower. Finally we will need to find somewhere out of the way and as uninhabited as possible to perform the ritual, and it needs to be in a place where the veil is extremely thin."

Angelina nodded. "Okay, then we will make preparations in the morning to leave for the Tower as soon as possible. I should be able to get as much lyrium as we require, I just need to know how much so I can send to Orzammar for it. I will need a little time to think about the location you requested, but I know that I will be able to come up with something."

The four of them stood and said their goodnights. As Gabrielle began to walk through the archway that led to the hallway where her room was located, she turned to her cousin to give the woman one last piece of advice.

"By the way Angelina, when you see Anders tomorrow don't expect it to be a happy reunion. I have a feeling that the demon is very unhappy with me for leaving it behind on the ship today. I am also fairly sure that it is ready to start putting its own plan into place. Don't be surprised if you see very little or even any of the real Anders while we are on this mission, and don't expect to see the Justice you knew. This demon is very devious. Don't let it get to you. I promise that it will try to use your friendship with both Justice and Anders to its advantage. You can't let that sway you."

Angelina nodded. "I understand cousin. I will make sure that I keep that in mind."


	20. Chapter 20: Who's To Blame?

Angelina had finished her bath and put on her nightgown. She had been looking forward to soaking in the tub since that morning in hopes that it would help wash some of her stress away. While it usually worked well to that end, it had failed miserably on that night. She just couldn't get everything her cousin had told her off her mind. She found herself particularly disturbed by what Gabrielle had said about Justice. She realized that the lion's share of the blame for Anders' involvement lay at her own feet and she would just have to learn to live with that, but how had her friend Justice come to such an end? The more she thought about it, the more it confused her.

She was startled by the feeling of Alistair's lips on her almost bare shoulder. He kissed his way over to her neck and up to her earlobe. That jarred something else in her memory.

"Alistair?"

He continued nibbling at her lobe as he breathed into her ear. "Yes, my love?"

"Just how acquainted did you and my cousin get when you visited Kirkwall?" she asked.

Alistair pulled away from her immediately, his face masked with mock confusion.

"Whatever do you mean, dear?"

At that point, Angelina didn't even need for him to answer the question, but she still wanted to hear it from his lips.

"You know what I mean." Her voice held the undertones of her fury.

Alistair feigned shock. "You can't possibly be implying that something happened between me and your cousin."

Angelina crossed her arms in a huff. "I saw the look on your face when she told you that she was pregnant. Dear Maker, you almost suffocated on that piece of cheese. Then of course there is the fact that you were completely relieved when she revealed how far along she was in her pregnancy. I'm not a stupid woman Alistair, please don't treat me like I am."

The king blew out a long ragged breath as he put his hands to his hips and stared at the ceiling. One hand then covered his eyes and slid down his face to his mouth as he shook his head.

"Okay, fine…I shared my bed with her. Are you happy now?"

Angelina was utterly surprised by the question. "Do you really expect me to be?"

"Look, you had been away for months before I even left for Orlais. I was lonely. When I saw Gabrielle…she just looks so much like you…I'm sorry Angie, okay? It was a stupid mistake and it will never happen again…I swear."

The Warden was still incensed. He couldn't possibly believe that his lame apology could make up for bedding her cousin. She wondered just how many other trysts and how many other women he had over the years.

"So how many times have you cheated on me exactly? It wasn't as if that was the first time we had been apart for months at a time."

Alistair sneered at her. "Yeah, like you're one to talk about staying faithful."

"What are you talking about, Alistair?" she yelled.

The king matched her shout for shout. "You and the demon's host? Yeah, I bet you thought I didn't know about that did you? I'm not stupid either, Angie."

The wind went out of the Warden's sails. There it was, he did know about her and Anders. She looked down at her feet as silent tears fell from her eyes to the floor below. Alistair lifted her chin with his big hand. She gazed into his eyes and saw that they were glistening with his own tears. His breath came in short heavy bursts as he searched her face, looking for the right words to say.

"I really am sorry…about everything. I have known about you and that mage Anders since it happened. I was told before you even arrived home. But that gave me no reason to say what I just did to you. I know that he was your friend and it must be difficult to hear what has happened to him."

Angelina nodded. "I'm sorry too Alistair. I had no right to judge you the way I did. I understand that loneliness can lead to mistakes…but just answer one question for me."

He smiled. "Anything."

"Was she the only one? Have there been others?"

Part of her dreaded to hear his answer. He took her delicate hands into his muscular ones, and squeezed them.

"I swear to you Angie, on our son's life that it was only that one time."

She looked into his eyes and saw the truth of his words in them. She smiled at him and sighed.

"Well, now that's done, are you ready for bed?" she asked. "A long day awaits us both tomorrow."

She presented her lover with a sultry, licentious stare and pulled at the front of his shirt to tell him to come closer. He thrust himself against her body, a crooked grin playing across his face. She licked her lips lasciviously.

"Besides, this will probably be the last night we get to spend together for a while."

Alistair covered her mouth with his in a passionate kiss. They spent hours giving each other pleasure. As usual, the king's appetite was insatiable. When they were both completely exhausted, they collapsed back onto the bed. After a goodnight kiss, Angelina rolled over onto her right side while Alistair snuggled himself into her back. He fell asleep almost instantly, but Angelina lay there in the quiet darkness still thinking about Justice.

She simply couldn't believe it. Justice was her friend. They had spent a good deal of time talking about a great many things. One of the spirit's favorite subjects was Kristoff, the deceased Warden that housed him. He would tell her that he was able to share the man's feelings, hopes and dreams which were all new to him. He even told her that he knew what envy felt like and she tried to belay his fears that it was an emotion that demons felt. He thanked her profusely for bringing him into her world and showing him that he could be more.

_Maker, no. I convinced a spirit of the fade that negative emotions were normal and natural, that there was no harm in them. I encouraged him to be more human, but he wasn't human. What have I done?_

It finally dawned on the Warden that all of the problems they now faced were directly brought on by her influence. She ruined Anders' life and she corrupted a good spirit of the Fade and turned him into a dangerous demon. Every conversation that she had with Justice went through her head, and she could see the wrong thing she said in every one of them. She cringed as she recalled her words to him. She closed her eyes tight and prayed to the Maker for forgiveness and guidance.

The Warden was still awake as the sun began to rise, its light warming her tear-stained face. The only thing she could do now was help Gabrielle. Somehow she would atone for her transgressions. She would do whatever was necessary and whatever was required of her to right the wrongs that she had committed.


	21. Chapter 21: Lost In The Fade

Anders couldn't figure out where he was. He had lost his bearings completely. When he lay down in the hammock in the ship's sleeping quarters that night, he fell asleep thinking about the last words that Gabrielle had said to him. She spoke to him like he was going on a long trip and that he would become lost. She looked sad and worried. At the time, he had wondered what she could have been talking about. Now, he was beginning to get the picture. He knew that he was in the Fade, but why?

It had only happened once before. He had walked out on Gabrielle after begging her to take him back. She welcomed him with open arms and an open heart, which he promptly broke again. He felt like he hadn't been worthy of her love. He had to fix what he had done before he could be with her again. He remembered going home with the intention of sneaking into the Chantry the next day and removing the bomb that he had planted in the basement. Then he would return to his love, confess what he had done in hope that she could forgive him after he set everything right, but he never got that far.

He "woke up" in the Fade. He was trapped inside a small building with no doors or windows. It was worse than the solitary confinement cells in the Circle tower. He didn't know how long he was there, but it seemed like an eternity. At regular intervals, Justice would visit him, only it wasn't the Justice he knew. This spirit appeared in the armor that Justice wore when Anders met him in the Fade the first time, only now the bright blue was muddled with a thick black smoke. That's when Anders knew for sure that his friend had become a demon.

Justice would talk to him and confuse him. He told Anders that mages needed to see the symbol of their oppression turned to rubble so they would act. Justice told him that all forms of compromise had to be removed in order for mages to stand up for themselves. They had to act or die. It was the only way things would change. After Maker knew how long, Anders finally agreed to do things Justice's way and the spirit allowed him to leave the Fade and return to his body. By that time, weeks had passed. It was the longest blackout Anders had ever had. He was weakened by the experience and he knew he wouldn't have been able to hold out much longer if he had remained in the Fade. Justice had obviously kept his body alive by giving it food and water, but just barely alive. The morning after he returned was the morning that all hell broke loose in Kirkwall.

Now he found himself back between worlds, but this time it was different. Instead of being locked inside a small room, he was obviously given the freedom to roam around as he pleased. He searched for a while, but did not see Justice anywhere so he finally gave up. The dream like fogginess of the place was starting to give him a headache and make him dizzy. He sat down on the ground and rested his back on an oddly shaped tree.

A feeling of dread and hopelessness threatened to consume his soul. Each breath he breathed took a tremendous amount of effort. Maybe he should just give up. Everyone would be better off without him anyway. Nobody would really miss him. Nobody cared. His mind began to drift. He was having a hard time recalling things he knew that he should remember. The only things he could recognize were horrible things. Being dragged away from his mother after his father had called the templars on him; being locked in a cell for a year because he tried to run away from the Circle; the Broodmother and the Architect; the large building in the city exploding; the beautiful Warden Commander leaving him alone after he confessed his love to her; the constant ridicule of a strange looking elf and a man in shiny white armor. What was there to live for? His whole life had obviously been one disappointment or disaster after another.

He lay down on the bare earth beneath him and curled himself into a ball. He was so very cold and tired. Tears flowed freely as he thought of his wretched existence. There was nothing for him beyond this place. Dark images from his past began to form all around him and started to close in on him. They were taunting him, telling him that he was completely and utterly alone. He felt for the dagger that he kept at his waist. All it would take was two cuts, one to each wrist and then it would be over. He would fade into nothingness. He would finally know peace.

He pulled his sleeve away from his right wrists and put the blade to his skin, ready to feel the sweet sting of release. Suddenly, a bright light appeared. It was shining white with every color under the sun swirling around within it. The light enveloped him, driving the dark figures away. A feeling of real peace overwhelmed and warmed him. The colors made his skin tingle wherever they touched him. One word entered his mind.

_Gabrielle_

She was his one hope, his one reason for living. She begged him not to forget her. She told him that she would find him no matter where he was. She promised to save him. He smiled as he remembered the last kiss that they shared. He had never felt anything like that before, he had never even heard of anything like that before. The feeling that the light was giving him was the same feeling that he got from that kiss. She said she would rescue him, and in his heart he knew that she would. He only needed to hold on and be strong for her until she got there. She loved him and to be loved by a woman like that was reason enough to keep going.

The light that surrounded him began to dim, but instead of disappearing into the darkness, it crawled across Anders' skin and seeped into every pore of his body. He got the sensation that it was flowing through his veins. His heart felt as if it would burst from all of the emotion that the light contained.

The darkness and hopelessness were gone, but part of him wondered how Gabrielle would find him in this vast plane. He didn't know how she would do it, but he knew that she would be there. He would not give up on her anymore than she would give up on him. He decided to explore the plane as he waited, to see if he could at least figure out what Justice was up to. If nothing else maybe it would keep away the boredom.


	22. Chapter 22: Preparations

Gabrielle awoke in such a panic that it took Fenris quite a while to calm her down. She knew without a doubt that the demon had taken over Anders' body completely. She couldn't remember exactly what she had dreamed, but it had something to do with Anders being lost in the Fade. Fenris held her close and stroked her hair. He spoke loving words to her in both Elvish and Tevene until she stopped trembling and began to make sense.

She smiled sheepishly at her lover. "I know, I know…quit frightening you like that."

Fenris's stare was both scolding and agitated. "Yes, well I will continue saying it until you cease doing it."

Gabrielle kissed his nose playfully. She knew that he hated it when she did that, but it still usually got her out of trouble. He rolled his eyes and chuckled. It annoyed him but it obviously had the desired effect.

"So did you have another dream about the demon?" he asked.

Gabrielle narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips as she tried to recall her vision.

"Not exactly. This one was about Anders himself. I don't remember much, only that he was lost and I was trying to find him. I think Justice has taken over his body completely now."

Fenris's sincerity surprised her. "I am sorry, Hawke, that you must go through this. I wish that there was something more I could do."

She smiled at him appreciatively. "Thank you Fenris. You are doing more for me than you could possibly ever realize. Your love and support are so important to help me get through this. I am so grateful that you are part of my life."

He softly kissed her lips before pressing his forehead against hers. "No matter what, I will always be here for you. I am yours."

Gabrielle sighed. "It still makes my heart leap to hear you say that. I am a very lucky woman to have your love and I love you more than I could ever be able to put into words."

Fenris tucked her hair behind her ear and touched her cheek tenderly before backing away.

"We should get to the dining room. I'm sure that the Warden is waiting for us."

Gabrielle smiled at the elf. Most people who knew Fenris thought that he was cold and hard, that the abuses he suffered as a slave left him incapable of such thoughtful gentleness. She had been physically attracted to him from the moment she met him, but it was the quiet little ways he showed his affection for her that made her fall in love with him.

The mage quickly washed herself and dressed then headed to the dining room to join her cousin. Merrill was already sitting at the table eating her breakfast and babbling between bites as usual. Angelina sat across from her and actually seemed to be enjoying the young elf's company, which wasn't hard for most people given Merrill's sweet nature and bubbly personality. Alistair was sitting on the opposite end of the table talking to Isabela. By their hushed tones, Gabrielle gathered that they were discussing their upcoming trip to Antiva. She assumed that the rest of her companions, including Morrigan had stayed behind on the ship.

When she and Fenris sat down at the middle of the long table, Gabrielle realized that neither her cousin nor the king seemed to have noticed their arrival. She expected one of the servants to deliver their morning meal, but they were being largely ignored. She wondered if choosing to sit where they did was considered uncouth. Fenris had been accustomed to accompanying his former master to formal affairs with nobility, maybe he knew what they had done wrong. She gave him a questioning glance and he just shrugged his shoulders.

Gabrielle wondered if maybe they simply hadn't been seen. She cleared her throat and waited. After a few moments of nothing, she repeated the gesture but with a little more volume. She had almost given up hope and was about to ask Fenris if he wanted to go back to their room, when her cousin stood and approached her.

"Can I speak to you privately, cousin?"

Gabrielle presumed that Angelina wanted to speak to her about their day's agenda. She followed her cousin into the hallway and through a door on the other side. Once the Warden closed the door behind her, she turned around and slapped Gabrielle across the face, hard. Her eye felt like it would explode and her cheek began to throb.

"What in Andraste's name did you do that for?" she cried.

Angelina crossed her arms and glared at her cousin. "You know what that was for, and you know that you deserved it."

Gabrielle rubbed her cheek. The Warden was right. She knew that at the very least she deserved a slap across the face for sleeping with her cousin's lifemate.

"I'm very sorry, Angelina. I have no excuse for what I did…"

"It happened, it's over, I have paid you back for it, now let's be done with it all and move on. We have a lot bigger things to worry about."

Gabrielle nodded silently, thankful that she only got a slap across the face for what she did. When it happened, she didn't know her cousin, so sharing Alistair's bed didn't seem like such a bad idea. It was something that she had wanted to do since the first time she met him in Lothering. She wondered briefly if she should feel ashamed for her actions, but she concluded that she wasn't ashamed at all and she still didn't regret what she had done.

The two women entered the dining room and just as Gabrielle was about to take her place back at the middle of the table, her cousin motioned her over.

"There is no need for the two of you to sit alone…unless you want to."

Gabrielle pushed her chair back in and addressed Fenris. "Shall we join the Warden and Merrill?"

Her lover eyed her questioningly. When he noticed the large red mark across her face his expression changed to ire. Gabrielle decided that she needed to calm him down before he let his temper get the best of him.

"It's fine Fenris." she whispered. "My cousin found out about Alistair."

Fenris nodded his understanding and then shot an angry glare toward the king obviously wishing that he could extend Alistair the same courtesy. They moved toward the end of the table and when they sat down they were promptly served breakfast. As they ate, the Warden continued to ask Merrill questions about the Dalish which the elf was happy to answer. Gabrielle listened in on the conversation. She had always found the history of Merrill's people interesting. Fenris, on the other hand, just looked grumpy and perturbed. As long as Gabrielle had known him, he had made his distaste for Merrill extremely obvious.

Once he finished with his food, Fenris waited only a few minutes before excusing himself from the table. Gabrielle still needed to talk to Angelina, so she figured that she would just find him after their conversation was concluded. Merrill stopped talking long enough to peruse the room and notice that everyone was finished with their meal.

"It was very nice to talk to you about my people and our history, Warden, but I'm sure you and Hawke have things that you want to discuss without me around…I think I'll go see what Fenris is up to."

In typical Merrill fashion, she didn't wait for an answer before getting up and walking out of the room, staring up at the ceiling as she went and mumbling to herself about how big the palace was. Angelina turned her attention to Gabrielle.

"She's a sweet girl, but she's just a little odd, isn't she?"

Gabrielle gave a slight laugh. "Yes, but you can't help but love Merrill. Her quirkiness is what makes her so endearing."

The Warden's face became thoughtful. "It doesn't seem like your other elf companion thinks much of her."

Gabrielle let out a long breath. "I've never really understood that either. Fenris is rather serious most of the time. He also has a slight problem with mages, and he thinks that Merrill is worse than most."

Angelina appeared confused at that statement. "He has a problem with mages? Hmm, I was under the impression that the two of you were a couple. I mean the way he looks at you…it's quite obvious he's taken with you. Maybe I read it wrong though."

Gabrielle smiled at her cousin's confusion. "No you're not wrong. We are together. In fact I'm almost sure that he's the father of the twins."

The Warden arched one brow. "Almost sure, cousin?"

Gabrielle's face reddened a little. "Yes, well…let's just say that I find myself in some unusual circumstances. There are two possibilities, but the chances of it being the other man are slim to none because he's a Warden."

Angelina felt her face get hot. But Alistair seemed relieved when her cousin told them how far along she was. She wondered briefly if she had lied the night before.

"Are you saying that it might be..."

Gabrielle quickly cut the woman off. She hadn't thought about the fact that Angelina might jump to the wrong conclusion.

"Oh no, not him. I was talking about Anders."

Angelina sighed with relief, but her consolation almost immediately turned to curiosity.

"That must be extremely awkward, given that they are both your traveling companions, especially after what you said about the elf and mages. Does Fenris know that you cheated on him with Anders?"

Gabrielle wondered if she should tell her cousin about her relationship. It really wasn't her business, but she knew that it was bound to come out sooner or later.

"Yes. I found out that he knew all along. It's a bit more complicated than that though…Anders and I were in a relationship and lived together for three years. He ended it and I started dating Fenris shortly after that. After what happened to the Chantry in Kirkwall, Anders and I reconciled."

"So you are with Anders? I thought you said that you and Fenris are together."

Gabrielle grinned at her cousin self-consciously. "I did. I'm actually in a relationship with both of them…and yes they both know. We have sort of an…arrangement."

Angelina appeared to be lost in contemplation for a few seconds before turning to her cousin and smiling approvingly.

"Hey, who am I to judge? Alistair and I shared our bed every night while the queen was still alive. Not only that, but if they agree to it, why not?"

Gabrielle actually got a feeling of relief knowing that her cousin not only didn't mind her unconventional relationship, but seemed to actually approve of it. They continued talking about her relationships for a while. The conversation dealt mainly with how she met her two lovers. She was just telling Angelina about how Fenris was finally able to kill his former master when, as if on cue, he walked back into the dining room. He stormed over to the two women, muttering curses in Tevene the entire way. He pulled out a chair so roughly that Gabrielle was surprised that it didn't splinter, plopped down upon it and furiously crossed his arms.

"Fasta vass!"

"Is something wrong, Fenris?" Gabrielle asked gingerly.

He glared at her furiously. "Keep that mindless future abomination away from me." He hissed.

Gabrielle felt more like a mother to both of the elves when they started this sort of thing. "What did Merrill do now?"

Fenris was still fuming. "She is always talking. She won't shut up, ever. I cannot stand another second of her mind-numbing, inane babbling. If I have to hear one more story about her dirt grubbing people, I swear I am going to shove my fist through her face."

Gabrielle sighed. "Calm down, Fenris. She's probably off wandering the palace now."

"Hopefully she'll get lost." he spat. "Or better yet, I heard that the basement is almost completely flooded, maybe she'll fall into the water and drown."

She noticed the uneasy look on Angelina's face. "Don't worry. He gets like this when he has to spend too much time around Merrill. He'll be fine in a few minutes."

"Is he going to hurt her? Is she in danger?" Angelina queried, obviously concerned for the younger elf's safety.

"No, Merrill has learned to stay away from him when he gets like this. As long as he gets a little time away from her so he can calm down, everything will be fine."

The Warden didn't seem completely convinced, but decided to change the subject, probably hoping to get Fenris's mind off of wanting to murder Merrill.

"I took the liberty of ordering supplies for our trip…tents, packs, food and the like. They were delivered about an hour ago and some of the palace servants are getting them ready as we speak. Isabela brought some of your clothes with her from the ship and the laundry mistress sent up your cape which I had sent to your bed chambers."

Gabrielle was impressed with how efficient her cousin was. Then again, she was the one who obviously kept things around the palace running smoothly which meant she would have to be proficient.

"It seems like you're on top of things Angelina."

The Warden smiled. "Thank you. Now, the first thing we need to do before we depart is find out how much lyrium we are going to need and where to have it delivered."

Gabrielle pulled a small piece of paper out of her pocket and handed it to her cousin.

"When Merrill went to fetch Isabela this morning, Fenris sent a note to Morrigan with her asking how much we would need."

Angelina let out a low whistle. "That's quite a bit, but it's nothing I can't handle. I will take care of it as soon as we are finished here. Now as for the location…I have given it a lot of thought, and I think that I have come up with the perfect solution…Blackmarsh."

Gabrielle thought about it for a moment and nodded her approval with a sly grin.

"A bit of irony, that."

Angelina returned her cousin's smile. "I thought so. We will need to have the lyrium shipped to Vigil's Keep first. I will make sure I send word for them to expect it. Once we are ready to go to the marsh, we can have it delivered from the Keep to the village. I have heard that after I returned to Denerim, a few people tried to rebuild the place, but had no luck and it has been completely abandoned for a couple of years now."

"So I guess the first thing on our agenda is to get Morrigan and Anders from the ship and head for Lake Calenhad."

The Warden was in agreement with the plan but still had some questions before they departed. "So what exactly is it that we need from the tower anyway? You mentioned a relic, but never told me what it was."

Gabrielle looked around to see if anyone else was listening to their conversation. With all of the servants there, not to mention Isabela who was sitting at the other end of the long table, she didn't feel comfortable discussing it there.

"Meet me in my room in half an hour and I will fill you in on the details." she whispered.

Angelina agreed to the meeting and the three of them departed the dining room. By the time they reached their temporary chambers, Fenris was completely calm. Gabrielle found the clothes that Isabela brought for her spread out on the large four-poster bed. She began to undress. As she let the violet tunic fall from her shoulders, she glanced at Fenris who was eyeing her lustfully and didn't notice that she had seen him doing it. She made a show of removing her dressing boots and skirt, teasing him mercilessly. When she was down to nothing but her small clothes, she flashed her sexiest smile at the elf which caused him to promptly rush to her and pull her back into him.

He kissed her neck, biting playfully at her skin. "As much as I would love to do this now, we just don't have the time. The Warden will be arriving soon."

Gabrielle turned and wrapped her arms around his neck. 'I know, I guess I just wanted to give you a little preview of what's in store for you the next time we get the chance to be alone."

Fenris moaned. "I can hardly wait."

His face went from lasciviousness to adoration as he tucked her hair behind her ear. She smiled brightly as she gazed into his deep green eyes and rubbed his cheek with her thumb.

"I love you, mal cornum."

Fenris was pleasantly surprised to hear those words; especially the Tevene term of endearment she called him.

"I see that you have widened your vocabulary." His arms encircled her torso and he pulled her closer. "The only question I have is…do you mean it? Am I truly your heart?"

She kissed him gently. She searched his eyes as she brushed his bangs away from his face.

"Fenris, I know things have been difficult over the past few weeks, and I realize that with everything going on with Anders and Justice that we haven't been able to spend a lot of time together. I can only imagine how all of this has made you feel, and I am genuinely sorry for neglecting you."

Fenris's eyes began to glisten as Gabrielle continued.

"I just want you to know that you are a very special part of my life. No matter what it looks like, I don't love Anders more than I love you, I couldn't. It's hard to explain, but I love you both…equally but differently. When I'm with you, I can't imagine wanting to be anywhere else or with anyone else. I look at you and my heart feels as if it's overflowing with the love I feel for you. You are my heart. You are the one that has always been there for me, my protector…my savior. No one else in my life has ever given me the kind of peace and security that you have."

She sighed with exasperation as she tried to come up with the right words to tell him exactly how she felt, to explain how much he meant to her but she just couldn't. Her love for him was beyond words and explanations. She shook her head as she gazed at him, desperate to make him see.

"I don't know how to explain it…all I know is that I love you and even those words aren't sufficient to tell you how I feel…"

Fenris smiled at her through tear-filled eyes as he covered her lips with his index finger.

"You don't have to say anything else, Gabrielle. I understand mal amarem. Thank you. You will never know how much I needed to hear you say that."

He kissed her slowly, gently before whispering in her ear. "I love you."

They were three words that he rarely said to her, but when he did she knew without a doubt that he meant them. He hugged her tight to his chest once more before letting her get dressed. She had just gotten the sash tied around her waist when there was a knock at the door. Angelina walked in and sat at the edge of the bed as Gabrielle and Fenris remained standing.

"So what exactly is this relic we're looking for?" The Warden asked.

Gabrielle began pacing. "It's a short sword. According to Morrigan, it is the only weapon in existence that is able to be physically present in both the Fade and the mortal realm. It's the weapon we must use to destroy the demon."

Angelina shook her head in disbelief. "But how is that even possible?"

"I'm not exactly sure. All I know is that it's ancient and it's hidden in the vault under the Circle tower. Now, here's the real problem…"

The Warden rolled her eyes. "There's a worse problem than sneaking into the Circle's vault?"

Gabrielle gritted her teeth apprehensively. "Well…we can't get it by sneaking into the vault. We actually have to convince the First Enchanter to give it to us. It's actually hidden by magic within the vault and only the First Enchanter knows how to find it."

"We might as well give up now. There is no way that Irving is going to give us anything like that. He's beyond conservative on his most lenient days."

Gabrielle shrugged. "We're just going to have to convince him. I think that going in there together will help. He has to see the truth of it, we have to make sure that he does."

Angelina couldn't argue the point. They just didn't have a choice.

"Okay, we'll do what we have to…All our preparations have been made and our provisions have been divided and packed. I already sent the supplies for the rest of our party to the ship and we should be able to depart Denerim in a couple of hours. Your friend Varric sent a message that he is waiting for you to return before he joins Isabela here at the palace. His note said that Anders is acting very strange."

Gabrielle nodded. "I knew that was going to happen. The demon has taken over. We need to move quickly."

The three of them found Merrill waiting in the dining room along with all of the provisions that they required. They hastily grabbed their packs and supplies and made their way to the ship. As they neared the harbor, the gnawing feeling of dread and doom loomed around Gabrielle like a thick fog. She quickly dismissed those perceptions and concentrated on the task ahead. Justice, Vengeance, whatever this demon chose to call itself, had been a thorn in her side long enough. She knew exactly what she was about to face and what needed to be done and she was finally ready to do it. That monster was holding one of the two men that she loved more than life itself hostage and she was going to kick its ass into oblivion.

Gabrielle wasn't the only one that wanted to destroy the demon. Angelina had reason of her own. She had trusted Justice, considered him a friend. To have him turn around and try to destroy everything he said that he loved about the mortal realm made her beyond angry. And then to have him also be a threat to the man she loved…that was enough to push her over the edge.

For thousands of years, no man or creature of any kind had been able to stand against the fury of an Amell woman, and this particular demon had managed to piss off two of them. It didn't matter how powerful the demon was, it didn't stand a chance.


	23. Chapter 23: Parting Ways

When they boarded the ship, Gabrielle looked around the deck but did not see Anders anywhere. Morrigan was leaning against one of the railings and Varric was pacing nervously in front of the door leading to the captain's quarters. When he saw Gabrielle the worry on his face melted away and he beamed at her.

"Hawke! I was starting to worry that you decided not to come back."

"You know I'd never leave without saying goodbye to my favorite dwarf."

Varric looked at the others that had come on board with her. When his eyes reached the Warden, his jaw dropped and he just stared at her. Gabrielle had to laugh at the dwarf's shocked expression.

"Varric, this is my cousin Angelina Amell."

"Forgive me for staring messere, but the resemblance is simply astounding."

Angelina smiled. "It's nice to meet you Varric and I concur with that sentiment."

The look of awe on the dwarf's face was replaced by a huge smile. Suddenly, Varric began laughing hysterically. He addressed the Warden between chuckles.

"Forgive me Warden. I was just reminded of a story that Blondie told me awhile back."

Angelina seemed confused. "Blondie?"

"Anders." Gabrielle explained.

"Oh" said the Warden, and then comprehension crossed her face. "Oh…oh my."

Varric was still sniggering. "It was quite an uplifting tale."

Angelina turned to her cousin. "When this is all over and the real Anders is back with us, I hope you will not be too angry with me when I break his nose."

The Warden's words just made Varric laugh harder. Gabrielle had to bite her lip for a moment to hold back her own laughter. She had heard the story that Varric was referring to and she understood both Varric's jocularity and Angelina's embarrassment. She cleared her throat.

"Anyway, Varric, Isabela and Alistair are expecting you at the palace whenever you are ready to go."

The dwarf sighed. "Well, I guess that's my cue then. Hopefully traveling with royalty won't get too boring."

Angelina giggled hearing his words, but Varric chose to ignore the sound. He approached his friends one at a time to say goodbye starting with Merrill. There were tears in the Dalish girl's eyes as they said their farewells.

"Take care of yourself Daisy. Stay close to Hawke so you don't get lost."

Merrill nodded, trying to hold back her sobs. "Goodbye Varric. I will miss your stories."

He moved on to Fenris. "You still owe me that five sovereigns, elf."

Fenris chuckled. "It will give you a good reason to look me up later."

Varric held out his hand and he and Fenris clasped forearms.

"Take care of our girl, elf."

"With my life Varric."

Finally the dwarf found himself standing in front of Gabrielle.

"When you get rid of the other guy and Blondie comes back, tell him goodbye for me would ya?"

Gabrielle nodded. "Of course, Varric."

The dwarf sighed loudly as he looked at his boots. He kept his eyes down while he spoke.

"I can't say that it's always been fun, but it definitely wasn't boring. We've been through a lot together, Hawke…"

Gabrielle noticed that he had choked on his words. He wiped a gloved hand across his eyes.

"Damned allergies." he mumbled. When he finally met her eyes again his own were red and glistening.

"You are probably the best friend I've ever had, Hawke…" he shook his head as if he were trying to shake his emotions away."Take care of yourself, will ya?"

"You know me, Varric…safety first. Besides, we have a plan…what could possibly go wrong."

The dwarf chuckled. "Don't ever change my friend."

"Never. Tell Bianca I said goodbye."

"Will do."

Then the dwarf did something that Gabrielle would have never expected. He hugged her with a quick squeeze around her waist. He then threw her a silent salute before he turned and walked down the gangplank to the dock below.

"Hello, Hawke. I am happy to see that you made it back safely."

Gabrielle pivoted on her heel and came face to face with Anders.

"Hello Justice."

An evil grin spread across her lover's face. "I think you and I need to have a conversation,,,a private conversation."

She nodded. "Of course. Shall we go to the captain's quarters?"

Justice held out his arm to allow her to lead the way and followed her to the cabin. Once inside he shut the door behind him. He took a gold key from his pocket and turned it in the keyhole until it made a clicking sound. He replaced the key in his robes before addressing Gabrielle.

"To make sure that we won't be disturbed."

She gave him a curt nod of understanding. She didn't feel the fear that she normally did when she came face to face with the demon. She wasn't afraid, she was livid.

"What do you want Justice?" she asked, trying to keep her voice as calm as possible.

"Whatever you are planning, you should know that it will never work. You cannot defeat me Hawke."

"Whatever you say, Justice. Is there a point coming sometime today or did you just bring me in here to bore me with your diatribe again?"

Justice laughed haughtily. "Such a clever girl…a wickedly clever girl. Do you wonder why I find you so appealing?"

He ran the back of his hand down her cheek and it made her skin crawl.

"Look, if you don't get to the point, I will blast that door off its hinges so I won't have to listen to anymore of your bullshit. Get to the point, demon or I walk."

It became obvious that her lack of fear struck a nerve, so instead of trying to frighten her, he decided to taunt her.

"You'll never see him again you know…Anders I mean. He is lost somewhere in the Fade. He's probably cowering in a shadow somewhere praying for his life to hurry up and end. He's so lost even I can't find him."

_Way to go, my love. _She thought.

"He will not make it back. Your precious sweetheart is gone. The two of you always made me ill, all of those conversations about love and feelings…I don't know how he put up with you as long as he did."

Gabrielle appeared bored so the demon mage decided to take it up a notch. "You know that he never really loved you, don't you? He only stayed with you for the sexual favors you granted him. I have to admit, you are very talented."

She gave him a coy grin. "I'm happy to hear that you enjoyed it Justice."

She knew what he was trying to do and she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction. Hearing that he had lost Anders in the Fade had given her hope. Nothing he could say was going to take that away from her.

He leered at her. "Well, maybe we can do it again, but this time it will be just you and I."

Gabrielle looked at the ceiling and tapped her chin with her index finger a few times feigning deep thought.

"No, I think I'll pass. I really don't think that you're understanding me though. I always knew demons were stupid, but you take that to a whole new level...now I already warned you that I am going to leave this cabin if you didn't have anything important to tell me. So far I haven't heard anything even remotely interesting. This is your last chance before I'm gone."

Gabrielle had finally made the demon angry. Thick swirls of black smoke began to rise from Anders' body. Where the bright blue light had only shone through the mage's eyes a moment before, blue lines appeared throughout his skin and clothes. His voice became louder and deeper.

"I do not need you, whore. I do not need anyone. I have complete control of this body now." he shouted.

Before he could go on, Gabrielle walked around him and straight to the door. She put her hand out to cast a telekinetic blast at it. Just before she could summon the spell Justice called out to her.

"Wait!"

She turned to him, with her hands on her hips and a look of impatience on her face. The black smoke was dying down and the blue lines were beginning to fade.

"Fine, I am ready to tell you why I wanted to speak with you. As I said before, I know that you have been conferring with that witch and the Warden to conspire against me. I do not know what you have planned, but I have an agenda of my own and you will do as I ask of you."

Gabrielle smirked at him. "I'm not afraid of you Justice. Why would I do anything you want me to?"

"Because, you care too much not to." He stated matter-of-factly.

"What do you mean?" she asked through narrowed eyes.

"The elf…I know about your feelings for him. I have had to listen to Anders' complain and cry about it enough. I will destroy him if you do not cooperate. Think about it, Hawke, he knows he cannot kill me which gives me the advantage."

Gabrielle knew that what Justice had said was true. She wondered how she was going to get around this new obstacle. It seemed like it was always something.

"Fine…What do you want me to do, Justice?"

"That's more like it. I knew you could be reasonable, Hawke…The first thing we need to do is go to Ferelden's Circle Tower, the one that Anders lived in."

It was all Gabrielle could do to hold back her smile. This was going to be much easier than she thought. She took a few deep breaths to gain her composure.

"Okay, and then what?"

Justice crossed his arms and leaned against the desk that was sitting behind him.

"I will let you know when we get closer to our destination."

"Anything else?"

"For now, no. That will be all."

Gabrielle's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Well, if you require nothing else of me, be a sweet little demon and unlock the door…I don't much care for the smell of rotten eggs."

That was the one way that Gabrielle always knew when Justice took over Anders for more than just a few minutes. He reeked of sulfur. At that moment the smell was so strong, she thought that she might gag. She waited for the demon to make some kind of comeback, but he simply unlocked the door and let her leave. She approached the others and in a loud voice, to make sure Justice heard her, she made an announcement.

"I'm sorry, but there has been a slight change of plans. We will be heading to the Circle Tower first, before we do anything else."

Angelina's eyes darted from her cousin to the form of Anders standing in the doorway to the captain's quarters. She realized quickly what was going on. She gave Gabrielle a sly wink before speaking.

"But what about our plan?"

Gabrielle was a little surprised at how convincing the Warden was.

"It will just have to wait. We need to go to the Circle first."

Angelina crossed her arms in a huff. "Fine. I don't understand you cousin. If you keep changing your mind like this, I might have to rescind my offer to help you."

Gabrielle made her voice sound pleading. "Please don't leave Angelina. I need your help. This is just a little…pit stop."

The Warden sighed. "Okay, I'm following you, remember. If that's what you think we need to do first, then that's what we will do." She flung her pack over her shoulder. "But if we're going to the Circle Tower, we need to get moving. It's a long journey and the sooner we leave the sooner we'll get there."

She began to walk toward the gangplank and the others grabbed their packs and followed suit. As they walked through the city, Angelina passed a note to Gabrielle.

"Isabela asked me to give you this just before I said goodbye to Alistair. She requested that I not deliver it to you until we were on our way out of the city."

Gabrielle unfolded the piece of paper. She immediately recognized Isabela's hurried scrawl.

_Hawke,_

_You know how much I hate long sappy goodbyes. I'm not sure when we will see each other again, if at all. I just wanted you to know how grateful I am for everything you've done for me. You stood up for me and believed in me when nobody else would. You have been a true friend. I will never forget you. Stay safe and lay a kick to that demon's ass for me._

_Izzy_

Gabrielle wished that she would have had a chance to say farewell to her friend, but the pirate disappeared after she finished talking to the king. She just hoped that she would get the chance to see Isabela again someday. The woman had become such an important part of her life. Knowing Isabela had changed Gabrielle's life for the better and she would always be thankful to her friend for it. She felt a small pang in her heart when she thought about not seeing the spirited pirate again.

Gabrielle stuffed the note into one of the pouches that were attached to the utility belt around her waist. She had to focus on the task ahead not on the things she had already lost. She glanced back at Justice as they found their way to the city gates leading west toward Lake Calenhad. He had a smug look of superiority on his face that made her giggle under her breath. Everything was finally falling into place.


	24. Chapter 24: Justice's Confession

It was almost two weeks before the six of them arrived at Lake Calenhad. Their journey took longer than normal due to the fact that they had to travel away from the main roads and avoid any villages along the way. During the trip, Gabrielle and Angelina got the chance to get more acquainted. Gabrielle also enjoyed the fact that she and Fenris got to spend some much needed alone time when they made camp at night. Ever since that last day in the palace, when Gabrielle poured her heart out to Fenris, he had become more tender and affectionate than he ever had before.

Justice, on the other hand, only became angrier and more dreadful. Gabrielle felt the demon's eyes on her all the time, and even though she wasn't afraid of him it was still disconcerting. Not only that, but his hatred of Fenris seemed to grow larger on a daily basis. His unsettling glares became worse when she and the elf were together. She wondered if Justice realized what Morrigan had told them about, about Fenris being her strength.

They could see the tower looming over the lake clearly from their campsite. They had pushed extra hard that day to make sure that they made it to the Tower that night. They planned to enter the Tower bright and early the next morning. Not only did they need to find the sword, but they also needed to find something to keep Justice in the Fade long enough for Morrigan to perform the ritual and for Gabrielle to destroy him. They hoped to be able to find the answer to that problem while they were in the Tower as well.

Then there was Justice. He still hadn't told Gabrielle what he wanted her to do or why coming to the Tower was so important. Since they were practically sitting in the tall buildings shadow, Gabrielle decided to finally ask him.

"Not here." He told her. He pointed to a shabby building down the hill. "Meet me at that inn after our evening meal…alone."

Justice actually appeared jumpy while they ate. He hadn't been eating much anyway, but that night he just picked at his food. Gabrielle doubted that he had consumed more than a bite or two. Anders' body had become thinner over the course of their journey and Gabrielle was becoming really concerned for the mage's health. It would do them no good to rescue Anders if his body had wasted away. Somehow she had to figure out a way to ensure that Justice would start taking better care of the mortal form he occupied.

When she had finished her supper, Gabrielle did a brief scan of the camp, and realized that Justice was already gone. She stood and dusted herself off. After she cleaned up her mess kit, she began heading toward the inn. She hadn't even made it out of camp before Fenris stopped her in her tracks.

"I don't like this, amarem. I don't trust the abomination. At least let me accompany you to the inn. I can stand outside. That way if there is any trouble, I will be just a shout away."

She smiled at the elf because she knew that even if she chose to go unaccompanied, he would still follow her. She also had to smile about the fact that her dour and stalwart elf had taken to using a term of endearment when addressing her. She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Like I really have a choice. Besides, I would enjoy the company."

He smirked at her astutely before he kissed her. His newly acquired habit of public displays of affection still took her by surprise.

"Shall we be on our way then?" he asked.

She sighed heavily. "Yes, I might as well get this over with."

She gave him a quick peck on the lips before starting down the hill again. They walked in silence until they reached the outside of the inn. Above the door hung a weathered wooden sign bearing the outline of a small but chubby child with long curls and a small crown. Beneath the picture, flaking and faded rust colored paint spelled out the words _The Spoiled Princess. _Gabrielle guessed there was a story behind the name, most inns had such stories, but at that moment she didn't really care to know.

She reached to turn the handle of the door, when Fenris grabbed her hand.

"Remember, if you need me just shout and I'll be right in."

She nodded. "Thank you, Fenris. I'm sure it will be fine. He just wants to tell me what he wants me to do at the Tower."

He tucked her hair behind her ear and related to her how worried he was with his eyes.

"Regardless…just be careful."

She smiled at him reassuringly before turning the tarnished brass handle and opening the door. Once inside, Gabrielle looked around for Justice but just like in the camp she couldn't find him. She wondered if she had made a mistake and just missed seeing him before. She thought about sitting at one of the tables to wait for him, but she noticed that the innkeeper was eyeing her suspiciously. He was a short, burly man with a large collection of dark tattoos covering his arms and neck, at least what little of his squat neck she could see. His face and the front of his chest were covered with a long, shaggy, ginger beard, topped with a bushy moustache that completely covered his mouth. With such thick red hair on his face, Gabrielle found his short dark hair out of place. When the innkeeper turned to retrieve a glass that was sitting on the bar to his right, she saw that his head wasn't covered with dark hair. He was completely bald in fact. Instead of hair, there was a black tattoo that completely covered his skull. He gritted his teeth and sneered at her as she approached the bar. He wiped out the used glass that he had picked up just moments before, spit in it and wiped it out again. As if by instinct, Gabrielle's nose crinkled in a look of absolute disgust. There was no way she was drinking anything from that place.

"Can I help ya with something, sweetheart?" the man behind the bar barked.

The gruffness of his voice caught Gabrielle by such surprise that it made her jump. She tried to steady her voice, but it still sounded shaky when she answered the man.

"I…I'm looking for someone. I was supposed to meet him here."

The man nodded. "Was he a tall blonde gangly lookin' fella, dressed in black?"

Gabrielle cringed at the fact that Anders had been described as gangly. What made it worse was the fact that it had become a correct depiction of the mage

"Yes, that's him."

"Nope, haven't seen him." the innkeeper bellowed. "Who's looking for him anyway?"

She rolled her eyes. "My name is Gabrielle."

She was really trying to avoid using her last name, especially this close to the Circle Tower.

"Well, sorry Gabrielle, can't help you." he shrugged.

She pulled a few gold coins from her pouch and slid them across the worn wooden bar.

"Maybe this will jog your memory."

The man looked down at the bribe Gabrielle had just offered, harrumphed loudly and slid the sovereigns back in her direction. She gave him a questioning glare.

"What? Not enough? How much will it cost me to buy your information then?" she asked.

The large man shook his head and leered at her.

"Sweetheart, there ain't enough coin in this entire realm that'll get me to talk. Some things are more important than gold, my life being the main one. It may not seem like much of a life to most people, but it's the only one I got and I fancy keeping it."

Gabrielle blew at her bangs in exasperation.

"I suppose it wouldn't help at all if I said the magic word would it?"

The innkeeper chuckled. "There's only one magic word that'll get me to talk and it sure in Andraste's ass ain't please."

Gabrielle knew the word he was looking for, but there were two other men in the bar and one of them was a templar. She definitely didn't want him to hear her name. She moved in close to the bartender until she could feel his hot breath in her face. It smelled of stale ale and rot and she found herself wanting to vomit from it. She moved her mouth to his ear to get her nose out of the direct line of fire.

"I think the word you're looking for is Hawke." she whispered.

Death Breath nodded and moved around the bar. He jerked his head toward a door located to the left of the bar to indicate that she should follow him in that direction. She fell in step behind him as he opened the door and led her down a dimly lit hallway. The smell of human waste assaulted her nose and reeked so badly that she had to use her tunic as a sort of mask in order to breathe.

On her right, there was a long wall with one lone faded picture of a group of trees overlooking a small brook. Two dirty, tarnished, brass sconces containing long burned-down candles stood guard on either side of the hideous painting. The rest of the wall had years of dirt and grime caked on it. Varying lengths of small, dried, brown streaks which began at the ceiling and ended in what were once beads of liquid painted the wall from one end to the other. Dark brown smudges and handprints littered the paneling along with dark yellow stains. Gabrielle had a pretty good idea what made those stains, but she didn't want to dwell on it because she was already beginning to feel queasy.

On the left, four doors huddled close together no doubt leading to tiny rooms that barely had enough room to house a bed. As she looked down, Gabrielle realized that she should be careful where she stepped. The same yellow stains that covered the walls were also present on the floor along with dark yellow puddles that hadn't found time to dry. The urine color went along nicely with the rust colored spots of dried blood that streaked the dirty wooden planks. Just walking through that corridor made Gabrielle feel like she needed a long bath, which made her ponder why anyone would allow themselves to live or even sleep in those deplorable conditions.

The hallway ended at a single door and Gabrielle realized that it was where the innkeeper was leading her. He rapped on the wood twice, opened the door just a crack and quickly headed back down the hallway. Rusty hinges creaked loudly as Gabrielle slowly opened the door. The room was lit only by a small fireplace in the middle of the wall directly across from where she stood and she was surprised to find the lodgings much bigger than she originally estimated. Other than the horrendous odor emanating from the hallway, the room was quite pleasant in comparison to the rest of the inn. She surveyed her surroundings until she spotted Justice sitting in the corner, hidden in shadow and watching her carefully.

Their eyes met. Gabrielle wasn't sure how or when it happened, but she noticed that his eyes actually looked like…eyes. Gone was the familiar ethereal blue light, replaced by Anders' normal eyes, with one distinct difference. Instead of Anders' usual warm amber color, the irises were now bright blue. The effect was actually quite striking and if Gabrielle didn't know that it was a demon that controlled the body sitting in front of her she might have been quite taken by his good looks.

He smiled at her, not in the creepy way Justice normally smiled at her, but warmly and friendly. She briefly wondered if Anders had come back to her, but the smell of sulfer burning her nose was too strong to deny the truth. It was obvious that he had tried to cover it up with Anders' cologne, but to no avail.

"Please, sit." Justice said as he pulled out a chair that was tucked under the small wooden table in the corner.

His voice was no longer booming and otherwordly. It wasn't even snakelike or cold. It was different than Anders' voice, but it still carried the tone of a normal man. She cautiously sat as he uncorked a bottle of wine that had been standing on the middle of the table. There was only one glass that he promptly filled and offered to her.

"I don't drink, myself. Although there were times when Anders drank enough for both of us…I remembered that you enjoy this wine so I had the barkeep deliver it before you arrived."

Gabrielle was very confused. This wasn't at all what she expected. She shook her head and glared at him warily.

"What's going on, Justice? What's all this about? I must say, this is definitely a new approach for you."

Justice picked up his chair and placed it right in front of Gabrielle. He sat and took her hands as he stared into her eyes. For the first time, she noticed what looked like black smoke curling around his blue irises. She found the effect nothing short of creepy.

"Hawke," he began quietly. "I'm not sure if you realize it, but Anders' and I share more than a body. Everything he feels, all of his emotions, I feel. All of his memories are mine as well. Knowing that, you must also know that…the last three years you spent with him, you spent those with me as well."

Gabrielle pulled her hands away from Justice's grasp and used them to cover her face. She laughed at the sheer ridiculousness of what was happening to her.

"Please do not laugh at me." The softness that had been in his voice was quickly fading. "I am not a joke. I am trying to…to tell you how I…I feel. This is all new to me and I don't understand it. I have fought against this for years, since Anders met you."

Gabrielle couldn't hold back the sarcasm in her voice. "Don't think I'm not flattered, Justice, but I'm not in love with you and I never will be. I love Anders. You've just been a tag-along. Kind of like an annoying little brother."

The blue in his eyes was gone, replaced completely by the black smoke.

"You know nothing of Anders. Why don't you ask your cousin about who Anders really is? When I met him, he was a sniveling, cowardly, selfish, whoring weasel of little man. _I _made Anders who he is now. I am the reason he is so giving and self sacrificing. I am the reason he didn't continue to bed every woman who would have him. I am why he even thought about having a family. Those were my wants, my desires."

He turned and placed his hand on the wooden mantelpiece. He stared at the flames for a long moment before continuing.

"The Warden Kristoff…his memories, his love for his mate. I found myself wanting that as well, wanting to experience the greatest of human emotions. By the time I joined with Anders, my envy had turned to rage and obsession. Then I felt his heartbreak and saw what love could do to mortals. I made it my mission to make his life mean more, to make people see that the love for one person is selfish, but the love of a group of people who need your help…that is something, everything."

He spun around and leaned over her. His lips were so close, they were almost touching hers.

"Anders and I were doing fine. We were working toward fulfilling our purpose…then _you_ came along. Anders began drifting away from our cause until he all but abandoned it. I did everything I could to get him back to his duty."

He pushed himself back to an upright position.

"Then you did the unexpected. You spared us. When everyone around you was telling you to end Anders' life, you not only spared him but welcomed him back with open arms, loved him. That's when I knew…you and I are destined to be together."

Gabrielle's face turned to shock as she shook her head.

"What?" she yelled. "You have got to be kidding, right?"

She stood and poked her index finger into his chest. She stared at him threateningly.

"I want to make this perfectly clear right now, Justice. I will never feel anything but hate and contempt for you. You ruin everything you touch. You are just a sick and twisted force of destruction and evil. Even if you are the reason that Anders changed for the better, I still won't thank you because look what else you did to him. You lied to him so you could possess him. You used him when he thought you were his one and only friend. He trusted you and you stabbed him in the back. How could I feel anything but contempt for you?"

Justice's usual cold countenance returned. He sneered at her.

"You will be mine, Hawke. One way or another, either by my side or by occupation, I will have you."

"Don't count on it." She spat. "So can we get to the reason why I came here tonight? Because it certainly wasn't for this shit."

He gave her a cruel, calculated smirk.

"Fine, if that is what you truly want I will tell you. What I require of you is simple Hawke. With Angelina Amell's aid, you will raze the Circle Tower to the ground."


	25. Chapter 25: Mixed Emotions

Gabrielle crossed her arms and tried her best to look bored.

"So just what is it that you're proposing, Justice? Is it your plan to blow up the Tower the same way you did Kirkwall's Chantry?"

"Is it that obvious?" he asked snidely.

"Well, it has been done before. Is that going to be your calling card? I know…since the explosion from the Chantry was a brilliant red, maybe you could do a color scheme. You know reds for Chantry buildings and blue for Circles.

"Do not mock me, little girl." he hissed.

She smirked. "But you make it so easy, Justice."

"Enough!" he shouted.

He grabbed her by the arm and threw her into the chair which caused it to lurch backward. She felt herself falling rearward when Justice slammed his foot down hard on her left knee making her pitch forward again. The chair's thick wooden legs hit the boards beneath them with a loud thud. Gabrielle's knee began to throb. Given the force of the blow, she was sure that the bone had been broken. She tried to straighten her leg, but the pain was excruciating. She glared up at the enraged demon. Thick clouds of acrid black smoke rose from his body as the smell of sulfur permeated the room even more. As much as she hated it, tears began to well up in the corners of her eyes from the pain. The last thing in the world she wanted to do was show weakness to Justice. For a brief instant she thought she saw regret flash across his face, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared.

He grabbed her face roughly with both hands and gave her head a few vigorous shakes. She wondered momentarily if he was going to snap her neck. Instead, he pressed the top of his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. His chest rose and fell heavily as he took deep ragged breaths. When he opened his eyes, the irises were once again blue with smoky black tendrils dancing through them.

"I don't want to hurt you like this, Hawke. Why must you insist on saying things to make me angry?"

For the first time since they left Denerim, Gabrielle was actually frightened of the demon. All demons were deceitful and conniving, but Justice was barking mad. She realized at that moment that he actually thought he was in love with her, but it was a sick and distorted type of love. She didn't care though. She was not going to kill innocents for him.

She backed up a few inches and spat in his face. "I know you won't kill me, so do your worst demon. I will not be your pawn."

He stood to his full height and swung his right arm back. The top knuckles of his closed fist landed hard across the right side of her face. The force of the blow caused her to hit her head on the table beside her which busted her lip open and burst several blood vessels in her nose and gums. The teeth on both sides of her mouth felt like they had loosened a little. Without so much as a whimper she sat up and spit out the blood that had begun pooling inside her mouth. Blood began pouring down from her nostrils and mixed with the blood that was seeping from her swelling lip. She glared at him silently and defiantly, daring him to continue his assault.

She saw his expression change from anger to lust as his eyes moved down her body and back up to her face. He bent down and brought his face to hers again, breathing heavily into it. She became aware that the smell of sulfur had been replaced by a mixture of musk and sweat that she was so familiar with. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, savoring the fragrance that she had missed so much. When she opened her eyes again, he was staring at her face intently, studying it.

Justice cupped her chin in his right hand and placed his thumb over her lips. He used it to smear the blood beneath it to her cheek. He slowly leaned into her further and covered her mouth with his. She felt his warm tongue trace the outside of her tender lips. His hands squeezed her cheeks together which forced her mouth open. His tongue continued its assault on her teeth. The acquaintance of his taste caused the tip of her own tongue to dart forward and graze against his instinctively. The pain that his brutal kiss was causing her was exquisite. She found herself both curious and repulsed at the same time as she pressed her swollen lips harder against his. What was she doing?

His hand moved from her face to the back of her head as the kiss continued. She turned her face to the side in an effort to make it stop. She whimpered as his tongue scraped across her cheek and made its way down to her neck. She sucked in a sharp gasp as his she felt his left hand move up her body to her right breast. He kneaded and massaged it as he sucked on her right shoulder. She moved her own hand up and entangled it in his blonde hair.

She looked down at the top of his head. Dear Maker it was becoming difficult for her brain to differentiate between Justice and Anders. She had missed the feel of his hands and his lips. Part of her wanted to make herself believe that it was him, just for the night. That realization brought tears of shame which silently began to trickle down her bloody cheeks as her breath quickened with his every touch. She pulled her right knee up to her stomach and held it there for a long moment. A guttural moan escaped her throat as his tongue traced her main artery back up her neck and then snaked into her ear. He knew exactly what to do, exactly where to touch her to heighten her desire. She had to stop it before it went any further, before she no longer wanted it to stop. With as much strength as she could muster, she thrust her right leg forward and landed her foot right into his desire swollen testicles.

Justice immediately dropped to the floor on his knees and doubled over in pain, seething through his gritted teeth. Gabrielle's chest rose and fell dramatically with every ragged breath. She watched him writhing on the hardwood, and tried to push back the gnawing feeling of regret that had overtaken her. She swallowed hard as Justice found his feet. He squeezed his eyes tight, obviously still reeling from the pain. The bottom half of his face was covered in her blood and she watched it closely as she waited for the next inevitable blow to strike her.

She was genuinely surprised when he instead turned and walked to the dresser that was located against the wall parallel to the bed. He quickly poured water into the basin and retrieved a small stained cloth from the top drawer. He picked up the bowl and placed it on the table beside her. He immersed the rag in the cool water, wrung it out and began gently cleaning the blood from her face. He looked up at her while he worked and she saw glistening amber eyes staring into hers.

"Anders" she breathed.

He shook his head as he choked back his tears.

"I am so sorry, love. I never meant for any of this to happen."

Gabrielle tried to smile, but the pain was just too much. "Justice said that he had lost you in the Fade. How did you make it back?"

"I'm not really sure. All I know is that I sensed that you were in trouble and I think it had something to do with the jolt that you gave him."

Tears began to flow freely from her eyes as he continued to wipe away the blood.

"I'm just so happy to see you. I've missed you so much."

He smiled at her. "I've missed you too, my love. I just wish I had more time."

She shook her head, her pleading eyes staring into his. "What do you mean?"

"As soon as I touch the Fade to use my magic and my mana is spent it will leave me vulnerable and Justice will be able to return." He explained.

"Then don't use your magic."

He touched her cheeks gingerly, rubbing them with his thumbs. "I have to. I won't leave you in this condition. I would never be able to live with myself if I did."

"I'll be fine. It's not that bad…really." she lied.

Anders chuckled. "You are a terrible liar. You know that don't you?...Actually I'm surprised that you're still conscious. You should have fainted from shock by now. You have suffered two broken cheekbones, a broken nose, a broken jaw, fractured eye sockets, a slight concussion, a broken femur and a shattered patella, not to mention all of the bruising and contusions."

"I can find somebody else to heal me then."

He placed his finger on the bridge of her nose and slowly slid it down to the tip.

"Who? Merrill? Do you remember what happened the last time she tried to heal one of your broken bones? Morrigan doesn't seem like the healing type and Angelina isn't any more skilled than you are when it comes to creation magic."

"I'm sure I can find a healer at the Tower tomorrow. I'll go tonight if I have to."

He softly touched his lips to hers. She felt a tingling sensation as his lips moved against hers. The feeling spread as his tongue explored the inside of her mouth. When the kiss ended he backed away enough to rub the tears from her eyes with his fingertips.

"I don't think it would be a good idea if you go to the Tower in a weakened condition, considering the circumstances"

He searched her eyes as he stroked her hair. She reached up and brushed back the stray tendrils of bangs at his forehead.

"I just don't want to lose you again, my love." She implored.

"I know, but you and I both know that you have to see this through to the end. That can't happen while I'm here."

He ran his hands down her arms and rested them both on her left leg as he leaned forward. He rubbed the tip of her nose with his while rubbing her leg. He then backed away from her and began massaging her kneecap. It was at that moment that she realized that he had almost completely healed her already.

"Anders, please stay." She begged.

He smiled at her again. "I can't, but I will see you again soon. I love you Gabrielle, with every bit of my heart. I'll be waiting for you. I know you won't let me down."

He softly kissed her forehead and she threw her arms around his neck. He wrapped his around her waist and pulled her closer into a warm, loving embrace. She began to cry softly into the feather pauldrons on his shoulder. She felt his lips nuzzle her ear. A cold hard deep voice assaulted the gentle tranquility of the moment.

"That was rather moving."

Gabrielle jerked back, shoving his shoulders as she went.

"Get away from me." She spat.

He laughed insolently. "You didn't seem to mind it so much a few minutes ago. In fact I got the distinct feeling you rather enjoyed it. I gathered that your violent means of deterring me had something to do with the fact that you had to stop me before things went too far."

Her eyes narrowed. "You wish that were true."

"I _know_ it's true." He studied her face. "Anders is definitely a very talented healer. Not even a scratch."

He reached out to touch her face and she quickly slapped his hand away.

"Don't touch me." She hissed.

A lewd grin etched across his face. "I will honor your request…for now. For the time being we have other things to discuss."

He pulled a large cylindrical crystal from inside his robes and handed it to her. Black smoke, not unlike the kind found in his eyes swirled around inside of it.

"What's this?" she asked distrustfully.

"Just a little something I cooked up. A gift for First Enchanter Irving…a token of my affection if you will."

She examined the shiny stone more closely. "I take it that this is your weapon of choice?"

"So to speak…you will take that to First Enchanter Irving and tell him that you do not know what it is. You will say that it is some sort of dark magic that you took from a witch. Angelina will then tell Irving that the crystal belongs in the repository with all of the other dangerous magical items. Once we are safely away from the Tower, I will trigger the device and we can watch Ferelden's Circle die as it should have long ago."

"But what about all of the innocents?" Gabrielle asked. "There are a lot of mages in that building, some are just children. I thought that they were the ones you were fighting to save."

Justice began pacing as he explained his perverted logic.

"The revolution has begun. The destruction of Kirkwall's Chantry was the rallying cry for change and gave all mages the push they needed to show that something can be done, that they can fight. Any mage who continues to heed the wishes and whims of his oppressors deserves to die. The time to act is now, those who do not effect change will be swept up by it."

Gabrielle shook her head. "But what about the children? Some are just babes. Why should they have to die?"

"Sometimes the recognition of acceptable losses is a necessary evil."

"I can see that there is no changing your mind, but what if I say no? Will you beat me like you did before? Rape me?"

Justice smirked. "No my dear, I will do neither. I will simply kill your elven slave."

"Fenris is not a slave." Her tone had become threatening. "And I doubt that he would be taken down so easily."

He laughed. "Then he can kill me and I can occupy _his_ body. Maybe if I share his memories of you, I'll have a better chance at making you mine. Either way, I win."

Gabrielle knew the truth of his words. She wanted to fight back, to argue more, but she knew it would do her no good. She realized that trying to fight him on this really wasn't the best course of action. She knew in her heart that there had to be some way to make him believe that she had done as he asked and keep the Tower intact. In the end, Gabrielle decided to cooperate or at least pretend to cooperate.

When she walked out of the inn, she found Fenris pacing outside the window. He ran to her and hugged her tightly before grabbing her biceps and staring frantically into her eyes.

"Festis bei umo canavarum, woman. I was getting ready to go in there and chop down anything that got in my path until I found you."

She sighed wearily. "I'm fine Fenris."

The elf's eyes widened when he noticed all of the blood on her clothes.

"What happened? Are you injured? Did that monster hurt you?"

Gabrielle shook her head. She was so tired she could barely keep her eyes open.

"I'm fine. Let's just say things got a little intense and leave it at that. I'm exhausted. Is there some way we could talk about this later. Right now, I'm not sure I can even make it up the hill on my own."

As if some unseen force heard her words, Gabrielle's legs gave way and she collapsed into Fenris's arms. Even though Anders had healed all of her wounds, she had still lost a great deal of blood and her body needed to recover from it. Fenris immediately scooped her up and carried her to the top of the slope. She was already completely out by the time they reached the camp where he laid her down in their tent. She didn't even stir as he removed her blood stained clothes.

He quickly undressed himself and slipped between the bedrolls that they had fashioned together to make one large enough for the both of them. He stroked her hair and hummed softly in her ear just as he always did when she was ill. He knew that there was a lot that she wasn't telling him, and by the pattern of the stains on her clothes he was sure that the blood was her own. As he drifted off to sleep with her cuddled up to his chest, he briefly wondered how she could have lost so much blood when she didn't have a scrape or even a bruise.

Gabrielle awoke to someone shaking her shoulder. She removed her left arm from Fenris's chest and punched her hand toward the offending intruder. Her fist was stopped mid-swing by a delicate fingers closing over it.

"Merrill warned me that you tend to get violent when someone wakens you." Angelina's breathy, singsong voice told her. "I'll have to remember to thank her later for that."

Gabrielle opened one eye and peered into the darkness around her. The only light she could see came from the magic flame emanating from her cousin's open palm.

"Isn't it a little early for this?"

Gabrielle sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. She was still feeling quite weak from the blood loss the night before, but knew that she would have to keep that to herself. Angelina brought her index finger to her lips and then directed her eyes to the side of the tent to let her cousin know that someone was listening. Gabrielle nodded her understanding before the Warden began to speak in hushed tones that were loud enough for the eavesdropper to hear.

"Justice came to my tent shortly after Fenris brought you back to camp last night. He didn't tell me what was going on, just that you would tell me before we talked to Irving. He told me not to ask questions if I valued the life of my son."

Before Gabrielle could do anything more than give her cousin a sympathetic glance, Angelina threw a set of mage's robes on her lap. They were the same robes that she had to wear when she entered Denerim with Isabela a few weeks earlier. Gabrielle frowned at the garments in disgust.

"You will put these on so you won't be recognized when we enter the Tower and so you can move around freely among the other mages." The Warden then tossed a loose cowl to her. "You can wear this to cover your hair and it's large enough to cover part of your face. Now, get dressed quickly, we need to get to the island before daybreak."

Angelina did not wait for an answer before climbing out of the tent into the waiting night. Gabrielle got dressed in the dark. She was grateful that at least this time the robes seemed less itchy and uncomfortable, and she had to admit to herself that the extra room actually felt good on her expanding belly. She bent down and kissed Fenris on the cheek before silently creeping out of the shelter.

She found Angelina waiting for her just outside of their camp. The two women walked silently as they made their way down the hill and to the dock where the ferryman awaited them. No words were spoken as they boarded the tiny boat and headed across the lake. Kester, the ferryman, was normally a talkative sort of fellow, but that morning his mouth remained closed as he kept a suspecting eye on the two women.

They reached the dock at the Tower just as the sun was beginning to cast a faint glow of color from the east. Angelina climbed out of the boat first and as soon as both of Gabrielle's feet were planted safely on the dock, Kester pushed away and began rowing his small watercraft back to the other side of the lake.

The Warden shook her head. "Justice must have gotten to him before we arrived at the dock. Something had to frighten him badly for him to remain so quiet. Kester will normally talk the ear off of anyone who will listen."

Gabrielle knew that her cousin's assumptions must have been correct. Kester's behavior was very similar to that of the burly innkeeper's the night before. Instead of heading toward the front entrance and the two templars who guarded it, Angelina grabbed Gabrielle by the wrist and led her up to a shadowy alcove off to the side. She mouthed an incantation and the faint glow of magic surrounded her briefly, starting at her feet and working its way up to the top of her head. Once the glow had completely faded, she repeated the process on Gabrielle. She felt the familiar tingle of magic as it probed her body and then quickly died away. The Warden's voice was barely above a whisper as she spoke to her cousin.

"I had to make sure that Justice didn't cast a spell on us in order to hear our conversations. I'm not even sure if he has the ability to do such a thing, but I am not willing to risk the chance if he is."

Gabrielle nodded. "I'm glad you thought of that cousin. I'm not sure I would have."

"Anyway," Angelina continued hurriedly. "What is it exactly that Justice told you to do?"

Gabrielle pulled the top of Justice's crystal from her pack to show Angelina what they would be dealing with.

"He wants us to plant this in the repository by convincing the First Enchanter that it is dark magic that belongs there."

Angelina shook her head. "But what does it do?"

"You know what happened to the Chantry in Kirkwall?"

"Yes." Angelina was leery.

"It's like that…only bigger."

Gabrielle could see the terror on the Warden's face. After all, the Circle had been where the woman grew up. It had been her childhood home and she thought of the people within as her family.

"But how in Andraste's name do we stop it?"

Gabrielle gently laid her hand on Angelina's shoulder. "Don't worry, cousin. I won't let anything happen to the Tower. First we need to find that sword and figure out a way to bind Justice to the Fade during the ritual. Just let me worry about the crystal."


	26. Chapter 26: An Old Rival

The two mages approached the large doors leading into the Circle Tower. Two templars stood guard on either side of the ornate entryway. The man on the right bowed his head when he saw Angelina while the one on the left kept a wary eye on Gabrielle whose face was hidden under the cowl that she wore.

"Warden, welcome back. We weren't expecting you."

Angelina flashed a bright smile at the younger man. He was tall and broad shouldered with sandy hair and bright green eyes which twinkled slightly as he returned her cousin's grin. It was obvious that he was quite taken with her.

"Hello Toran. It's nice to see you again."

The templar's grin widened. "And you as well, Warden."

"I have business with the First Enchanter that is rather urgent I'm afraid. Perhaps we can talk later?" she asked.

He bowed his head again. "I think I would enjoy that, Warden."

Gabrielle noticed that the other templar rolled his eyes as he opened the door for them to pass. Angelina didn't even seem to see the other man as she nodded toward Toran as she walked by. Once they were inside and the door had shut behind them, Gabrielle whispered quietly to her cousin.

"What was that all about?" she asked.

Angelina dismissed the question. "Just a little harmless flirting. It was nothing."

Before Gabrielle could say anything else, they found themselves standing in front of what was obviously the Knight-Commander. He was an older man with gray hair and a neatly trimmed beard. At that very moment he did not appear happy to see Angelina.

"Warden." He said gruffly.

Angelina held her head high. "Knight Commander."

He crossed his arms. "Is there something you need?"

_Obviously, otherwise we wouldn't be here. _Gabrielle thought.

Angelina mimicked his gesture and crossed her own arms. There was obviously no love lost between the two.

"I need to see the First Enchanter right away. It's rather important."

He glowered at her. "And why should I grant your request? With everything that's happening, I have every right to deny it."

The Warden rolled her eyes. "Greagoir, please don't make me get the king involved in this. Then he'll have to talk to the Grand Cleric…wouldn't it just be easier to let me speak to Irving and avoid all of the red tape?"

Greagoir sneered at Angelina. "It's not right that you have so much influence over the king, but the Grand Cleric turns a blind eye to it so there's nothing I can do. How do I know that you're not here to incite a rebellion? After all, wasn't it your cousin who started that mess in Kirkwall?"

Gabrielle shifted uncomfortably and bowed her head even lower.

Angelina sighed. "Yes that's the rumor, but I had never met my cousin. I didn't know anything about her until she defeated the Arishok, and even then I didn't hear anything more about her than anyone else. From what I understand, the Knight-Commander in Kirkwall was possessed by some sort of ancient dwarven artifact and had to be put down."

The Knight-Commander's demeanor softened a bit. "Yes, Meredith's actions have stained all of us. Be that as it may, Meredith's sin had nothing to do with the destruction of the Chantry. That happened before anyone found out about the artifact."

"And from what I understand, the Champion had nothing to do with that. It was another apostate that was responsible for that act."

Greagoir wasn't quite ready to give up his postition. "Yes, but he was a friend of hers, a friend whose life she not only spared but, left the city with. I'm sure by now you have heard who committed the crime. In fact, from what I understand, he was a friend of yours; a Warden that you personally conscripted."

"Yes, I have learned who the culprit was, but we don't have all of the facts in that case yet. I'm not willing to swing the executioner's axe until I know exactly what happened. From what I have heard about my cousin, she would not let a crime like that go unpunished without good reason."

The Knight-Commander appeared disdainful at the words. "That was the way Irving felt too. The last time we captured Anders and brought him back to the Tower, I told the First Enchanter that he should be made tranquil because he would never be reformed. Instead I let him talk me into a year's worth of solitary confinement. Not even a month passed after he was let out before the boy was gone again. If Irving had listened to me, none of this would have happened."

Angelina shook her head. "Maybe not, but with Meredith's behavior things might have been worse. We will never know and there is nothing we can do to change anything that has already happened…Look we can stand here and argue about this all day, but I really don't have the time or patience for it. It is imperative that I speak to Irving and my only question right now is, are you going to take me to him or not?"

Greagoir nodded solemnly and called to a young recruit that was standing nearby.

"Sorenson! Take the Warden and her companion to the First Enchanter's office."

Sorenson, who had jumped when he heard his name being called, stood straight and stiffened his arms at his side.

"Yes, Knight Commander!" His voice cracked from nervousness.

Greagoir covered his eyes with his right hand, shaking his head dejectedly, and sighed.

"After the blight and the problems with Uldred, I can't get a decent recruit to save my ass." He mumbled. "They just seem to get younger and dumber with every batch."

The recruit began to lead them away when Greagoir suddenly seemed to notice Gabrielle for the first time since they arrived. He held out his hand while approaching them.

"Hold!" he exclaimed.

Angelina turned to him with a questioning smile. "Is there something else you needed Knight-Commander?"

He eyed the hooded mage suspiciously. "Who's your friend? Why does she hide her face in such a manner?"

Gabrielle felt beads of perspiration forming on her brow. She could hear her heart beating in her ears, the sound so thunderous that she was sure the Knight-Commander would hear it as well. Angelina glanced in her direction before answering.

"I apologize Greagoir…this is Darcy. She came into my service from the Circle in Starkhaven."

The old templar's eyes narrowed. "But Starkhaven's Circle was destroyed by fire years ago."

Angelina didn't bat an eye. She had obviously cooked up Gabrielle's fake identity before they even arrived.

"Yes, she's been with us for a while. She is a very talented healer, the best in her Circle as a matter of fact. Unfortunately, the fire that destroyed her home left her very badly scarred. The poor girl almost died and by the time she had regained consciousness, too much time had passed to heal her face properly. She is ashamed for anyone to see how much her skin has been marred so she wears a cowl constantly."

Greagoir wasn't convinced. "Still, you will order her to remove her covering and show me her face."

Gabrielle began to count the number of templars she had seen in her head, wondering if the two of them would be able to take them all on. Angelina stood in front of her and placed her hands on the sides of the hood. She tucked her thumbs inside and touched Gabrielle's temples while mumbling something under her breath. All at once, Gabrielle's skin started to tingle and it felt like someone had poured thick warm liquid on her face and had begun to move it all around. Angelina then swept her thumbs across Gabrielle's eyelids. There was a horrible stinging and for a moment, she felt as if her eyeballs would explode. The Warden pulled back the covering and stepped to the side to give Greagoir a full view. The aged templar winced at the site of her and nodded his head.

"I can understand the desire to remain hidden. I apologize for the inconvenience mage."

Gabrielle pulled the cowl back over her head and nodded meekly. She wondered how bad she actually looked. Sorenson had started off again so the two cousins began to follow him at a distance. Angelina knew where the First Enchanter's office was, so they really didn't need the templar's help. It was just a formality and a way to keep an eye on the two women.

After they had gone through the inner doors and were well away from the Knight-Commander, a cat-like grin spread across Angelina's face.

"I've always wanted to try that spell." She whispered. "I just never found an occasion until today."

"That was the first time you performed that spell?" Gabrielle asked incredulously. "What would you have done if it hadn't worked?"

The Warden shrugged. "Well, it did work and that's all that matters."

"Where did you even learn to do that?"

Angelina grinned widely. "I found that spell in an ancient tome one night. I accidentally knocked it off a table whilst in the throes of passion. After my companion left me for the evening, I went to retrieve the book and it was opened to the page with that spell. I quickly snatched it up, hid it in my robes and took it with me. I returned it a few days later, after copying it into my grimoire of course. I memorized it fairly quickly because it seemed to be something that would prove useful someday."

Gabrielle chuckled. "Well, thank the Maker for rough sex."

Angelina nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, I do that quite often actually."

Gabrielle snorted and tried her best to keep from laughing too loudly. Their guide stopped and turned.

"What's the joke?" he asked.

Angelina shrugged. "Oh, nothing." She smirked at him coyly. "We were just debating on what you look like under that uniform. I told Darcy that a big scrapping boy like you must be quite large. Darcy, of course, doesn't have much experience in such matters so she simply laughed from embarrassment. Or perhaps nervousness if she was picturing it."

Sorenson's face turned crimson. Well…o…okay. I…if that's all it was…" he stammered. "Maker, let's just go."

The young recruit's legs moved faster as he tried to widen the gap between himself and the two mages. Gabrielle bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing again. After all of the stories she had heard about her cousin, especially from Anders, Angelina's words and behavior took her completely by surprise. Anders maintained that the Warden was always so serious and proper, but she was beginning to see a whole new side to her cousin.

Angelina interrupted her thoughts. "By the way, it is my understanding that the effects of that spell should wear off by the time we reach Irving's office. At least I hope they do for your sake because I have to tell you, that face could put me off food for the remainder of my life."

True to the Warden's assumptions, Gabrielle felt her face shifting and her eyes burning just as they reached the door to Irving's office. Sorenson tapped lightly on the door. He didn't even glance in the women's direction.

"Wait here while I announce you."

He entered the room and shut the door behind him, leaving the two cousins in the hall alone.

"All better now?" Angelina asked.

Gabrielle pulled the hood back just enough to show her face. "I don't know, am I?"

The Warden nodded, obviously pleased with her spellwork. "You look like yourself again. I was a little worried about the pronunciation of one of the words. I was afraid that I might have said it wrong. If I had, I believe the spell would have been the permanent sort. But it looks like I got it right."

Gabrielle's brow arched. "Well, I'm happy to know that everything turned out in the end, but let's refrain from experimenting on my face again, shall we?"

Angelina shrugged indifferently. "Okay, next time we'll just fight all the templars in the place. It's much more fun that way anyhow."

Before Gabrielle could reply, Sorenson appeared in the doorway. Gabrielle quickly covered her face before he could take notice. The templar gave a curt nod of his head to the Warden.

"The First Enchanter will see you now. I will be waiting just outside the door to escort you out when you are finished."

Angelina smiled and tapped his cheek softly as she walked by. "Thank you handsome." She said sweetly.

Gabrielle snickered as she saw Sorenson's face turn red again. Once they were inside with the door closed behind them she giggled.

"What? You have your way to defy the Order and I have mine."

An old man with long grey hair and a thick grey beard appeared beside them.

"I didn't expect to see you back so soon, child. I would say that I'm happy to see you, but given the current climate of the Circle, I assume that your sudden appearance bodes ill for us all."

Angelina gave the elderly man a warm hug before getting right down to business.

"We need your help, Irving. Something is happening now that will make Kirkwall seem like a child's birthday party. We need your help to stop it."

Irving didn't seem very concerned. "You always did have a flair for the dramatic Angelina. I'm sure it's not as bad as all that." He turned his gaze to Gabrielle. "Sorenson tells me that your friend here is a refugee from the Starkhaven Circle." He smiled at her. "Welcome child. If it pleases you, you may remain with us. Maker knows we could use more experienced mages, especially healers. Sorenson told me that you are very badly scarred, maybe we can help you with that."

Angelina bit her bottom lip like a child that knew she was about to be scolded by her father.

"Well…that's not entirely accurate. We had to make up a story to get past Greagoir. I used a spell to disguise her face."

Irving seemed confused by the Warden's words. "But why would you need to do that? Who is this woman?"

Angelina smiled weakly at the man. "First Enchanter, I'd like for you to meet my cousin…Gabrielle Hawke."


	27. Chapter 27: A Threat Challenged

Justice paced up and down just inside the edge of the trees. What was taking them so long? He knew that their task would take time, but he found his patience wearing thin. Maybe Hawke had been discovered. Maybe they were sitting in the dungeons awaiting the executioner.

He looked up at the sun that was barely above the horizon. No, there was no need to worry just yet. It seemed like hours had passed since the two women left for the Tower, but it had actually only been a short time since they left the dock. Try as he might to tell himself that everything was okay, he just couldn't shake the foreboding feeling that had overtaken him that morning.

What if Hawke betrayed him? What if she told Irving about the crystal? He glanced over at the lyrium marked elf sitting at the fire just inside the clearing. The annoying one was happily jabbering at him and the warrior looked absolutely enraged by it, which put a smile on Justice's face. Anything that made Fenris that miserable gave Justice satisfaction. He hated the elf more than he ever realized was possible. He had known envy before, but nothing like the feeling he got when Hawke was with Fenris.

He touched his lips as he remembered the events of the night before.

_Damn Anders!_ He thought.

If the mage hadn't appeared when he did, it might have been possible to have taken things farther. There was a moment there when Hawke had obviously wanted him to. Justice felt a stiffening in his groin that had become much too familiar lately. It was a sensation that he both enjoyed and loathed. He cursed himself for his weakness. That was the problem with occupying a living host; it caused him to have the desires of a man.

He remembered how she smelled, how she tasted. Even her fresh blood had a sweetness to it. He tried to focus, but was finding it difficult when he thought of the way she returned his kiss. As much as he wanted to achieve his goals, at that very moment all he wanted was her.

He felt a twinge in his gut as he thought about the fact that he had sent her into the wolves' den. Why hadn't he just sent the other one by herself? Why did he have to send Hawke too? He could have kept her safe at his side while Angelina planted the crystal in the tower's vault…no Hawke had to go to insure that the job was done properly. She would do anything for the elf. He knew that short of being killed, she would make sure her mission was completed.

Why did he care so much anyway? What was it about Hawke that made her so important to him? Sure, she was a strong woman and a very competent mage, but there were lots of women like that in Thedas. Why did it have to be her?

It was because of Anders. The mage's feelings and memories for Hawke consumed him and he couldn't shake them no matter how hard he tried. Anders was obviously in love with her. Justice felt Anders' love for Hawke more strongly than he ever had before. He knew of love when he occupied Kristoff's body, but it was nothing compared to Anders' emotions. Anders' feelings for her were almost like a disease, devouring every thought, every instinct, every part of him. Justice had been the only thing that had kept the mage on track, and now he was losing himself to her as well.

No, he couldn't allow it, wouldn't allow it. He had to focus on his duty to mankind. He would have to ignore his feelings. At the heart of him, he was a spirit with one purpose…justice for all mages. He would be the one to free them all. Anders was a fool to let a woman get in his way.

Justice's thoughts were interrupted by a low even voice coming from behind him.

"I don't know what happened last night, and it's probably for the best that I don't. I know that I cannot kill you, but if you hurt her again, I _will_ make you suffer for it."

Justice spun on his heel and grabbed the elf by the throat. Ethereal blue light shone from his veins. His eyes were replaced by the lambency. Thick black smoke rose from his body. His grip tightened.

"Do not threaten me mortal."

The lines on Fenris's skin began to glow bright. He reached up and grabbed the mage's bicep. His hand phased through the skin and wrapped around the bone. He solidified his fist enough to snap it like a small twig. He then grabbed the bundle of nerves and veins that surrounded it. He squeezed tightly and twisted them with a sharp jerk.

Justice's hand opened and he screamed in agony as he hit the ground. Fenris sneered at him as he rubbed his neck.

"You have been put on notice, demon. You may be a spirit, but the body you are in feels pain just like any other man. You cannot even fathom how many ways I can cause you agony without killing you. I have been taught the arts of torture very well and I will not hesitate to use them on you if you touch her again."

With that, Fenris turned and walked back to the campsite. Even with the tremendous torment his new injury was causing him, Justice smiled wickedly. When all this was over, when his plan was complete and he no longer needed the former slave for leverage against Hawke, he would take great pleasure in making the elf suffer. Fenris didn't stand a chance, he would die at Justice's hands.


	28. Chapter 28:Old Friends & New Alliances

Gabrielle removed her cowl. The sight of her caused the old man to stumble back a step.

"Maker's breath…the resemblance is remarkable." He turned to his former apprentice. "But why in Andraste's name would you bring her _here_? Are you trying to get us all executed?"

Angelina held up her hands in front of her chest and waved them frantically.

"No of course not Irving. I brought her here to help you see how serious the circumstances are. I was hoping that between the two of us, we could convince you to help."

Irving lowered his voice. "But what could I possibly do to help you? You aren't planning on trying to start a rebellion here too are you? Even if I wanted to help you do that, and I don't, our numbers have been decimated since Uldred's uprising and the Blight."

Gabrielle chose to speak up at that point. "It's nothing like that First Enchanter. While it's true that I am an apostate and I hold no love for the Circle or the Chantry, I don't want to see anymore innocents harmed."

Irving became silent for a long moment, contemplating her words.

"And what is it that you require of me child?"

"There is an artifact, kept in your repository. We need it to enter the Fade and destroy a demon."

The old man appeared incensed. "All of this over some demon? We've all dealt with them before. Why would you need an artifact or even to enter the Fade to get rid of a demon?"

It was Angelina's turn to speak. "Because this is no ordinary demon, Irving. This demon was once a pure spirit of the Fade and it is one of a kind. It was once a spirit of Justice that has now become the demon of Wrath. It means to destroy every Circle and every Chantry in Thedas. It has already said that it will occupy as many living hosts as it has to in order to achieve its goal."

"But how is that different from any other demon?"

Gabrielle had to make him see how serious the threat was. "Because this one can occupy the unwilling. All it has to do is cause someone to kill its current host out of vengeance. Once that happens, it can then take over the body of the person who carried out the act. This demon is more manipulative and conniving than any I have ever dealt with before. It will not stop until it fulfills its purpose. It is not doing this from only personal desires, but because it actually thinks its cause is righteous. It has to be destroyed in the Fade in order to be stopped."

Irving weighed her words carefully. "And how is such a thing accomplished?"

Angelina allowed Gabrielle to continue since her cousin knew more about the subject at hand.

"There is an ancient Tevinter weapon that can physically exist both inside the Fade as well as out. It is the only thing that can destroy the demon."

Irving's eyes widened. "How do you even know about that? It is a secret that has been passed from one First Enchanter to another. Every reference in every book in Thedas regarding that artifact has long been destroyed. That weapon is the most dangerous relic in existence. I can't just hand that over to you."

Angelina's face became solemn. "Then we are all dead. We don't stand a chance of defeating the demon without it."

Irving began pacing. "There has to be something else, another way that we haven't thought of yet."

Gabrielle shook her head. "First Enchanter, there is no other way. This is our only hope. Why would the Circle keep such a thing if it wasn't meant to be used in the direst of circumstances? Why wasn't it just destroyed?"

The old man's shoulders slumped. "Perhaps you are right…I will need some time to get us into the repository without any templar interference and I'm not sure exactly how to do that. Greagoir will not allow it unless there is a reason to go down there."

Gabrielle pulled her pack from her shoulders and retrieved the crystal from inside.

"Perhaps we could use this."

Irving studied the large smoky quartz.

"What is that?" he asked

Gabrielle frowned. "It's a device that the demon gave me to destroy the tower."

The old man drew away from her. "Why would you bring that in here and why in Andraste's name would I put that in the repository?"

Gabrielle examined the crystal thoughtfully. "It certainly looks like an evil artifact. I believe that Greagoir would buy that it's some kind of ancient weapon that needs to be sealed away. You can tell him that the Warden took it from a witch and it must be locked up. Then you can say that we need to accompany you because it is so dangerous that it will take at least two mages to conceal it."

Irving's eyes narrowed. "But what do we do with it? You said that it's designed to destroy the tower. We can't just leave it down there."

Gabrielle shrugged. "Of course not. I have a plan for that as well, but we might as well use it to our advantage while we have it."

The old man's lips curled in a crooked grin. "You are a shrewd young woman. You would have been a much appreciated addition to our Circle."

"You'll forgive me if I don't regret that I never had that opportunity." Gabrielle said.

Irving nodded. "Of course…Well, ladies, if you have nothing further…"

Gabrielle interrupted. "Actually, there is one more thing. We need some way to force the demon back into the Fade and keep it there until it is destroyed. Do you know of any spells or devices that would do that sort of thing?"

The old man paced back and forth while combing his memory and muttering to himself. Several times, he turned to the women to say something. Then he would shake his head and begin pacing again. After what seemed like an eternity, he finally shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.

"I can think of nothing. If this demon is as powerful as you say, no normal spell will bind him."

He turned and walked toward the wall behind his desk. He then removed a large painting of the tower and set it against the adjacent wall on his right. He approached the now empty space and mumbled a short incantation. The gray bricks began to pull apart like puzzle pieces until there was a clear outline of a door. Irving pushed against the loosened bricks and the newly made door swung open with ease. On the other side of the wall was a small round room. The walls appeared to be one long bookshelf filled with tomes. In the center of the room, facing each other, were two large, heavily stuffed red chairs that were obviously made to spend hours sitting upon while reading.

"I take it you remember my private library?" he asked Angelina.

The Warden appeared wistful. "Of course, First Enchanter. I cannot tell you how many times some of these books saved me in my lessons."

The old man tapped a finger to the side of his nose. "Why do you think I showed you this room in the first place my dear? I had gotten information from one of your instructors that you were lacking in some of your studies. I couldn't have my own apprentice failing her lessons now could I?"

Angelina smiled gratefully at the man. "Thank you, Irving."

The old mage bowed his head slightly before turning his attention to Gabrielle. "These books are in my personal library because they are considered either unnecessary for instructing young mages or too dangerous. If the answer you seek is to be found within the tower's walls, you will find it here."

"I appreciate all of your help, First Enchanter."

"Now, I need to speak to Greagoir about getting into the repository. I will be waiting for you downstairs near the steps to the basement. Please make sure to put my wall back in place."

Angelina nodded. "Yes, First Enchanter."

As soon as the outer door had shut behind Irving, Angelina began to pull books from the shelves that surrounded them.

"There are many books here about demons. This is where the First Enchanters of old hid the tomes that the Chantry wanted to destroy. They contain information about magic that the Divine would rather we not know, at least that's what Irving told me. The Chantry wishes to keep Circle mages weak and only teaches them a small amount of what they are capable of. Some of the spellbooks located here contain very powerful spells that would strengthen those who study and practice them beyond anything they could imagine. I personally studied from many of these books so I am capable of wielding more power than most of the mages in Thedas."

The Warden continued to gather books after a brief examination of their spines. Once she had an armful of them she dumped them on the floor between the chairs and sat down.

"Well, don't just stand there." she told her cousin. "Sit down and start reading. We don't have all day, you know."

Gabrielle picked up a large leather bound book that had _Demons: The Maker's Unwanted Children_ printed in gold lettering on the front. The mage scanned through it as quickly as she could, but she found nothing about fighting demons. The tome seemed to be nothing more than an explanation of the creatures. She briefly wondered why the Chantry wouldn't want it to be seen. She moved onto the next book and the next and still found nothing. Gabrielle picked up one of the last of the three books left on the floor. She was beginning to lose hope that they would ever find anything that would help them.

_Exorcism: The Cleric's Guide on Possession_

_Catchy title. _Gabrielle thought.

She began skimming through the book. Most of what she saw again had to deal with recognizing the different classes of demons. It also held a lot of information on recognizing demon possession in mages. She was just about to toss it into the useless book pile, when she decided to flip the pages to the last few chapters. There were drawings on those pages which caught her interest. There were many cruel looking devices which Gabrielle devised were used for torturing mages suspected of possession. Apparently, years ago, mages who were possessed tried to be saved instead of just being killed outright. Then she came across a drawing that piqued her interest.

"I've got it!" She exclaimed.

Angelina looked up from her tome. "Really? Well let's have it? What is it?"

Gabrielle held up her finger as she continued to read. "Damn. Don't have it."

The Warden jerked the book from her cousin's hand and read the text aloud.

"The Collar of the Beast. This particular device is the most effective tool that we have to combat the unholy ones. If a mage is found to be possessed by a more powerful demon, the collar can be used to bind the beast to the Fade until the acting First Enchanter can enter into the dream realm and slay the monster. It is doubly effective due to the fact that it completely paralyzes the body of the possessed mage."

She looked up at Gabrielle with excitement. Her cousin, however just looked dejected and tired.

"But this is perfect. It's exactly what we need...In fact, I saw this in the repository years ago when I was down there trying to find Jowan's phylactery."

Gabrielle sighed. "Keep reading."

Angelina found her place on the page and continued.

"Once the collar is in place, the First Enchanter recites the necessary incantation that will bind the mage and the demon. Once this is done, the ritual to enter the Fade may begin."

Angelina's face dropped as she perused the pages for the spell, but it wasn't there.

"Damn…" The Warden looked around at the shelves. "Well, the book that contains the spell has to be here somewhere. I can't imagine anyone would leave that lying around just anywhere."

Gabrielle threw up her hands in exasperation. "But where? There are so many books here and we don't even know what we're looking for. We don't have all of the time in the world you know."

Angelina held up her hand to quiet her cousin. "Wait a minute…just let me think." She glanced around the room again until her eyes caught on a pedestal behind Gabrielle. "Maybe the solution is simpler than you think." She hurried over to the pedestal and tore open the book that was lying there. She flipped the pages frantically, stopping at each for only a few seconds before turning them.

"What book is that cousin?"

Angelina continued to skim the pages as she answered. "It's the First Enchanter's grimoire."

"But how would Irving know to add that spell to his grimoire? That text is ancient."

Angelina tapped the book with her index finger and grinned widely at Gabrielle. "It's not just Irving's grimoire. It's the grimoire of the First Enchanter, of every First Enchanter. This book is even older than that one…and…I found it."


	29. Chapter 29: The Repository

"I was starting to worry about you." Irving croaked as the two younger mages approached the basement steps. "I take it that you found what you were looking for?"

Angelina grinned. "As a matter of fact we did." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "It's actually down in the vault as well."

The First Enchanter nodded approvingly. "Good."

The Warden looked around as if she were trying to find something or someone. Seemingly confounded, she returned her gaze to Irving "I know that a templar has to be present to open the Victim's Door. Didn't you bring anyone with you?"

The old man held out his hand toward the stairs, gesturing for the women to lead the way. "He's waiting for us downstairs by the door."

Gabrielle wondered briefly who he could have gotten to agree to help them and how he managed to talk them into it. She assumed that Irving wouldn't want to involve the Knight-Commander. Greagoir didn't seem like the cooperative type when it came to helping mages.

The three of them followed the path through the basement until they came to a large ornate wooden door. Standing beside it, looking like he would jump out of his skin at the slightest noise was Toran, the handsome young templar from the entrance. He beamed widely when he spotted Angelina walking toward him.

"H…hello again Warden." He stammered.

She returned his grin. "Hello Toran."

Irving sniggered as he watched the exchange. "I decided that there was no need to get Greagoir involved after all. Young Toran here was most eager to volunteer when I told him that the Hero of Ferelden needed a templar's help." He turned to the recruit. "Are you ready to get started young man?"

Toran, who was busy ogling Angelina like a lovesick puppy, jumped when the old mage spoke to him directly.

"Y…yes First Enchanter. Just tell me what I need to do."

Irving turned to the Warden. "Do you remember how it works dear one?"

"Like it was yesterday." Angelina said pensively.

Gabrielle didn't understand anything that was going on. She knew that they needed to get into the storage room in the basement's repository, but that was it. Her cousin grew up in the tower so she knew all of the ins and outs, but she got the feeling that there was a story behind the exchange taking place between the Warden and the First Enchanter.

"Okay, I'll bite." She volunteered. "What's the story with the big fancy door?"

"It's called the Victim's Door. Each plank represents one of the original templars that are set there to be a reminder of how dangerous those who possess the gift really are. The doors can only be opened by a templar and a mage entering together. The templar speaks the password which primes the ward. Then the mage uses magic to release it."

Toran's eyes were glued to the Warden while she spoke. When she finished he seemed eager to complete the task in order to find her favor.

"So what's the password?"

"Sword of the Maker, tears of the Fade." She answered.

An abrupt nod of Toran's head let the Warden know that he understood before he repeated the words to the door. A sharp ringing, not unlike a sword being pulled from its sheath, reverberated around them. Immediately, Angelina cast a simple ice spell at the adorned wood. As soon as the ice touched it, the ancient door swung open to allow them passage. On the other side, they found themselves in a large room with two more doors, one directly parallel to the Victim's Door and one in the middle of the wall to their right.

"Which one do we use?" Gabrielle asked.

"The one directly in front of us is the phylactery chamber. It holds all of the phylacteries for the apprentices in the tower. The door on the right leads to a long corridor which circles completely around the basement and ends at the artifact vault, which happens to share an adjacent wall with the phylactery chamber."

Gabrielle thought it seemed a long way to go to get such a short distance. "So why don't we just go through the chamber?"

"Because there is no door through the chamber." The old man peered at the Warden. "One time a young mage blew a hole in that wall to get in, but it has long since been repaired."

"Okay, well I guess we're going around." Gabrielle jerked her head toward the young recruit accompanying them. "By the way, just how much do you trust this guy? How do we know he's not just going to run and tell the Knight Commander about all of this as soon as we leave?"

A timid smile spread across Toran's face.

"A…actually I was hoping that I could go with you when you leave. Not to travel in your company of course, but just accompany you to the shore. I've given it a lot of thought over the past few weeks and I've decided that I can't do this job anymore. I've been training to be a templar for five years, since I was sixteen, but training and actually doing the job are two different things. My pap was a templar too and he always told me that magic and mages were evil and I believed that. I thought that being a templar was the most noble cause there was. During my training I heard about how we protected the mages and the normal people alike. They told us that taking cursed children away from their parents was for the best and that they didn't mind after awhile, they grew up like any other child. The only difference was that they studied how to control their magic. Once I was assigned here, I saw the truth of it.

I've seen the frightened children when they arrive here. I found out that if parents don't willingly give up their children, the templars threaten them with death. These children are never allowed to see their families again. They aren't allowed to go outside and play and are reminded everyday that they are dangerous and evil. It's not right and it's not fair. Nobody should have to live like these mages do, not when they haven't done anything but be born."

Angelina appeared as if she might cry. Gabrielle couldn't imagine what it was like for her cousin to grow up a prisoner in that place.

"Thank you, Toran." The Warden whispered appreciatively.

The young templar wasn't finished with his diatribe, however. It was obvious that he had given the subject a lot of thought and seemed to be ready to get it off his chest all at once.

"I guess the final straw came when I heard about Kirkwall. The Knight Commander there was ready to slaughter every mage in that Circle because of the actions of one mage who wasn't even a member of the Circle, he was an apostate. What if a regular man had committed that crime? The guards of that city wouldn't have killed every man, woman and child because of what one man did. Mages are treated like they are less than human, even though a mage saved the world when she stopped the Blight."

He smiled at Angelina before concluding his argument. "The Knight Commander in Kirkwall was cursed or possessed or whatever it was and the city's Champion stopped her. Then, instead of being haled as a hero, she was branded a maleficar and a criminal. If it weren't for that woman, Hawke, a lot more innocent people would have died."

Gabrielle walked over to the young man and kissed him lightly on the cheek. He blushed brightly. She removed her cowl and tousled her hair before appraising him with her glistening blue-green eyes. His words had moved her. The hope for her kind that she thought had left her, suddenly rose up in her soul. If more people saw the truth as this templar had, maybe change was possible.

She had been lost in thought until she noticed Toran's utter confusion. She held out her hand to him.

"By the way Toran, we haven't been formally introduced. My name's Gabrielle Hawke and I am most pleased to make your acquaintance"

After a few moments of stunned silence, he took her hand in his and shook it heartily, grinning from ear to ear.

"I'll never forget this moment for the rest of my life. It's something I'll tell my children and grandchildren about for years to come. I got to help the Hero of Ferelden and the Champion of Kirkwall at the same time."

Irving interrupted their exchange. "While I appreciate your sentiments, young man we don't have much time. We need to get into the vault quickly."

"Hold on a moment, First Enchanter." Gabrielle said before circling back to the templar. "Toran, you've done so much already that I hesitate to ask you for another favor. The short story is that we are trying to destroy a very powerful demon. This particular demon hates the Circle enough that it wants to see it fall…quite literally fall. We need your help to keep that from occurring."

Toran narrowed his eyes, "Did this demon have anything to do with what happened in Kirkwall? Was the apostate an abomination?"

Gabrielle pursed her lips in thought for a moment. "Yes and no…The destruction of the Chantry did occur at the behest of this demon, but I can't really say that the apostate is an abomination. The man still exists; the demon just occupies his body as well."

The young man considered Gabrielle's request for a short time before raising his right fist to his heart and bowing his head to her. "I am at your disposal, m'lady. Whatever you need."

Gabrielle returned his bow with a nod. "Thank you, Toran."

No one spoke another word until they reached the artifact vault, routing the guarding sentinels easily as they went. The amount of relics in the room was overwhelming. Gabrielle silently wondered what most of them had been used for. Angelina seemed to know just where she was going as she walked to a nearby table and moved a few things around.

"Here it is, the Collar of the Beast." She said as she proudly held it up in front of her face.

Unlike the Quinari mage's collars, this one was small and thin. It was fashioned from silver and some sort of runes etched delicately into the metal covered the entire circlet. It was closed and didn't appear as if it could be opened at all. Angelina had related to her the words that must be spoken just before the collar was placed around Anders' neck and then the incantation after it was in place. She just hoped she could remember it all and keep it all straight.

While they were speaking, Irving appeared at their side holding a small one-handed sword in both hands. Between the enchanter's skin and the blade was a beautiful black velvet cloth with elaborate silver embroidery. The cloth had obviously been what the sword was wrapped in. The sword itself was a thing of magnificence.

From tip to pommel, it was only about thirty inches. The shining silver blade had elaborate runes engraved on both sides that covered the entire length. They all seemed to branch off from small grooves etched into the tip. The guard, which was also silver, appeared to have been inscribed with a pattern of lines which were very similar to those embedded in the skin of Fenris's arms. Instead of coming to a point on the end, the right side of the guard curled up into a half circle with a medium sized flawless pearl on the tip. The left curled down similarly and held an onyx on the end that was the same size as the pearl. The guard was pure clear crystal that housed luminescent silvery blue liquid which Gabrielle guessed had to be lyrium. White smoke billowed and curled and worked its way through the viscous fluid. Unlike the rest of the metal of the sword, the pommel was made of solid gold which had been molded to bear the likeness of the Golden City. Angelina held out her palms for the First Enchanter to transfer the ancient sword to her.

"This is the Blade of Dumat." The old man told them. "It is very ancient and very dangerous. It was forged as an experiment for the Tevinter Magisters to help them find a way to physically enter the Fade and to allow them to slay any spirit that would stand in their way when they made their assault on the Golden City. It has even been said that it was forged to slay the Maker himself. No one knows how it came to rest at this place, but it has been said that Andraste herself was the one who captured it from the Imperium. It has been locked away in this Tower for ages and I expect it to be returned here when you have finished with it…I am trusting you Angelina."

He gingerly placed the weapon into her upturned hands. When Irving released the sword, Angelina exhaled a huge breath that she had obviously been holding in for a while.

"Thank you First Enchanter. We will take good care of it and I will personally return it as soon as our task is completed."

She sat the sword down on a nearby table long enough to spread out the new bedroll that she acquired from the Quartermaster for this very purpose. She carefully placed the weapon at one end and rolled it up tightly. She strapped the bedding back on her pack and heaved it back onto her shoulders before she turned to her cousin.

"So I guess the only thing left to deal with is the crystal."

Gabrielle had almost completely forgotten about Justice's "gift" to the First Enchanter. She knew that they didn't have much time left. Justice was probably getting suspicious already. She had come up with a plan to make it look like it destroyed the Circle Tower from a distance without actually destroying it. Before she and Angelina left Irving's office she grabbed a slip of paper and a quill from his desk and scrawled some things down on it. She pulled out that small folded-up piece of paper which she had stashed in the tiny pouch on her belt. She handed it to the First Enchanter.

"These are ingredients that we will need. I estimate that you will have no more than two hours after we leave before this thing blows, so you'll have to be quick about it."

The old man read through the list. "Yes, I believe we do have all of these things."

Gabrielle nodded. "Good. Then you will need to melt down all of the metals to make a hollow tube big enough for the crystal and the rest of the ingredients. Once the crystal is in place inside the tube, pack the rest of the dry components around it then encase the whole thing inside silver."

"I guess it's a good thing I have magic." The First Enchanter chuckled.

Gabrielle nodded in agreement. "Now, while you are taking care of that, our friend Toran here can go out to the abandoned ruins on the shore and dig a five foot hole. He will have to sneak back into the tower and get the crystal, take it to the dig site and bury it as quickly as possible. Hopefully, it will cause enough of a quake and enough smoke to convince the demon that the Circle has been destroyed."

Toran grinned widely. "Leave it up to me. I have some experience with this sort of thing. My father was a templar remember? I would take some of his lyrium and experiment with it sometimes. You can make some really good explosions if you know what you're doing."

Angelina gave the young recruit a warm hug.

"Oh, what the hell. Why not?" She exclaimed before she planted a long kiss on his lips.

The templar stumbled back a bit with a foolish grin on his face which caused Angelina to giggle at him. Irving shook his head at the two young people.

"You never change do you, Angelina?...Anyway, I'll make sure all of this is taken care of right away. I also have a few ideas of my own to make this ruse a bit more believable. You two best be off now, though. Toran will escort you and start the first part of his job once he's out of the Tower."

Angelina and Gabrielle took turns kissing the older man on the cheek and hugging him in thanks. They said their goodbyes to him and headed upstairs to the first floor. Luckily, Greagoir was still at his usual post in front of the main entryway into the building. They got passed him easily, mainly because he just wanted them to leave, and headed toward the docks.

When they reached the shore on the other side of the lake, Gabrielle hugged Toran, kissed his cheek and said her goodbye. Angelina put her arms around the young man to hug him and he pulled her in close for a fiery kiss. When he bowed to both of them to say farewell, it was Angelina's turn to be dazed. She shook her head with a sly smirk.

"Wow, if I was single…that boy knows how to kiss, I'll give him that."

Gabrielle grabbed her by the arm and started pulling her up the hill.

"First of all, I don't think that Justice would really appreciate us bringing a templar back to camp with us. Second, I'm not sure Alistair would be very happy with your new pet. He just doesn't seem like the sharing type to me."

Angelina pouted as she watched the young templar fade away into the distance.

"A girl can dream can't she?"

The Warden turned and began walking without anymore prodding from her cousin. Gabrielle eyed her curiously.

"Wasn't Alistair a templar before he joined the Wardens?"

"A templar in training, he never actually took his vows."

"And the Knight Captain in Kirkwall mentioned you too. He said that you were a special woman and he'd never met your like again…he seemed quite enamored with you."

A pleasantly surprised smile shone on Angelina's face.

"The Knight Captain? You mean Cullen?"

Gabrielle nodded. "Yes."

"He was always very sweet to me." Angelina said wistfully. "Everyone in the tower knew he harbored feelings for me. He was very shy so he never acted upon them. I have to admit that I was quite fond of him as well. I felt so bad when he was tortured by Uldred's people, and he came to hate mages after that. I didn't think he would even care about me anymore."

Gabrielle looked at her feet as she continued walking. "Well he obviously does…he's the one who allowed us to escape Kirkwall. He refused to let the Knight Commander execute me and he stood by me and fought at my side against Meredith."

The Warden gave her a knowing glance. "It sounds like I'm not the only who wasn't immune to his charms. Is he still as handsome as I remember?"

Gabrielle smiled. "It wasn't like that, but yes he is quite good looking...So given all of that and what happened today, I have to ask…what is the deal with you and templars anyway?"

Angelina, trying to hide a grin, shrugged. "I don't know. I guess that growing up in the Circle must have triggered it. For a Circle mage, being with a templar is the ultimate forbidden desire. There's something extremely exciting about the danger of it."

Gabrielle chuckled at the woman. "Well, I guess there is always that.

Angelina harrumphed. "I think, dear cousin, before you judge me that maybe you should take a look at your own love life. From what I've seen and from the stories you have told me, I daresay your two lovers are far more dangerous than anyone I have ever been with. How many times has your life been on the line for one of them? "

Gabrielle's face reddened as she put her hand on the bulge of her belly and peered down at it.

"Fair point."

She looked up in time to see Justice stomping toward them. The familiar blue light was present where his eyes should have been. He was obviously angry.

"Where have you been? What took so long?" he demanded.

Angelina placed her hands on her hips and glared at him contemptuously.

"It was my fault. I wanted to pick up a few supplies and see some old friends."

Justice noticed the thick new bedroll strapped to the Warden's pack.

"What is this? You already have a bedroll, why do you need another? What are you hiding?"

He reached out his hand to grab it, but she quickly slapped it away.

"I am hiding nothing." she seethed through gritted teeth. "You would do well to remember who you're talking to Justice. You know me and you know my power. I have played along with your little game thus far for my cousin's sake, but I won't hesitate to bring the King's army down on your head if you push me. I may not be able to kill you, but I can make damn sure you spend the rest of your time in Anders' body rotting in a dungeon cell."

Justice sneered at her as he backed away a step. Angelina stood straight and tugged at the skirt of her of her robe.

"Now, if you _must_ know, I purchased a new more comfortable bedroll so I can actually get some sleep. I am no longer accustomed to sleeping with rocks in back after spending the last four years with the King. I have become spoiled and have acclimated myself to the finer things. I hope that satisfies your curiosity, or would you like for me to dump my pack right here so you can inspect my undergarments as well?"

The ethereal light had burned out and Justice's eyes looked normal once again. He huffed a curse at her under his breath before turning to Gabrielle.

"Is your task completed?"

She nodded her answer.

"Then let's be away from this place. We only have three hours from the time the device was planted before it detonates."

Gabrielle had been curious about how Justice planned to trigger the crystal, and that curiosity got the best of her.

"So how exactly are you going to detonate the crystal?"

An evil grin spread across his face. "Now that, my dear was a thing of beauty. The smoke inside the crystal would begin to solidify as soon as it was inside the vault. It would then take three hours to completely harden giving us plenty of time to get away from here. The way I constructed it, I would know whether or not you betrayed me and that you actually did as you were instructed."

"So what happens if someone decides to remove it from the repository for study? Irving was quite intrigued with it after all."

Justice's smile didn't falter. "It does not matter. Once it was taken into the repository, the countdown began."

Gabrielle glanced worriedly at the tower behind them. She hoped that the First Enchanter would have enough time to get everything finished and she prayed for Toran's safety.

"Then let's hurry. We don't have much time."


	30. Chapter 30: Sleeping With The Enemy

When Gabrielle and Angelina arrived back at the campsite, everything had already been packed up so they were ready to leave right away. Once they were on their way, Fenris fell in step beside Gabrielle.

"I was worried about you." He stated simply, his eyes never straying from the road ahead.

"I'm sorry mal cornum. Hopefully this will all be over soon and we can get back to a semi normal life."

"So where are we going anyway?"

Gabrielle looped her arm around his strong bicep and pulled herself closer to his side.

"I honestly don't know. Justice hasn't said, but it looks like we're headed back toward Denerim. The one thing I do know is that we need to get away from the tower as quickly as possible."

Fenris turned his head to whisper in her ear.

"Why the urgency? Why do we need to leave this place so quickly?"

She looked ahead to make sure that Justice wasn't listening before she answered.

"Justice gave me a crystal to plant in the vault of the tower. It was an explosive devise meant to level the place." She nuzzled his ear before quietly continuing, her voice barely audible. "I came up with a way for the tower and everyone in it to be safe. I just hope that the First Enchanter is able to carry out my instructions before time runs out."

Fenris stared angrily at the back of the blonde head trudging along a few yards ahead of them before turning his attention back to his lover.

"So I take it that we need to go to this Vigil's Keep next? Are we even going in the right direction?"

Gabrielle smiled. "Actually, Vigil's Keep is not far from Denerim. We just have to figure out a way to get him to take a detour."

Gabrielle and Fenris both jumped with a start when Angelina slapped them on the small of their backs and put her face between their heads.

"Just leave _that _up to me." she smirked.

With that she hurried forward to catch up to Justice. He was already in a foul mood and Gabrielle hoped that Angelina wasn't planning on pushing him over the edge. She had seen how volatile he could become when he was in a rage. Fenris stole a worried glance at her.

"I hope your cousin knows what she's doing. I am not sure she takes him seriously enough."

Gabrielle sighed. "I know what you mean. She knew Justice before he became what he is. I think sometimes she still looks at him that way."

Fenris shrugged his shoulder. "Maybe she has the right idea. She doesn't seem to fear him. Actually I was quite surprised that he backed down the way he did."

Gabrielle appeared thoughtful. "You know, now that you mention it that did seem a bit out of character."

"Well I say let her deal with him. Maybe that will keep you out of danger."

Gabrielle winced at those words. She knew that she had to figure out a way to get the collar on Justice and she had given it a lot of thought. The only way she knew to get close enough to him to get the collar on without making him suspicious was to let him seduce her. If he believed that she was falling for him, she knew that it would be easy to get him to let his guard down completely with her.

"Did I say something wrong?" Fenris asked warily. "What are you thinking Hawke? From the look on your face, I suspect that I'm not going to like it."

She looked ahead of them and saw that Justice and Angelina had stopped and were arguing so she halted and took Fenris's hand.

"Fenris, I love you."

"I'm _really_ not going to like this am I?

Rather than start an argument, Gabrielle decided that she needed to just tell Fenris her idea.

"We found a device in the tower that will bind Justice to the Fade and paralyze Anders' body at the same time. The only problem is that it is a collar that I will need to put on him."

Fenris's face twisted into a grimace. "Let me guess, in order to get close enough to do it, you have to go to bed with him."

"Well, not necessarily. I just have to make him think that I am going to let him bed me...I promise you that I will not allow things to go that far. I just want you to know that when it seems like I am welcoming his advances, it is not because I actually have any feelings toward him."

Fenris's eyes narrowed. "Are you sure, Hawke?"

Gabrielle felt a little hurt by his accusatory tone. "Of course I'm sure. He may look like Anders, but he is not Anders. He is a demon. When have you ever known me to be taken in by a demon Fenris?"

"Fine. Do whatever you want, Hawke. You always do anyway." He spat before marching up the hill ahead of her. Gabrielle noticed that Justice was moving again so with a heavy heart she slowly began shuffling her feet forward. Morrigan had caught up to her, but passed by without a word. She assumed that her cousin had already told the witch about all that had taken place in the tower. She started to try to come up with a different way to get the collar on Justice when Merrill grabbed her hand and started dragging her along.

"Come on Hawke. The others are leaving us behind and the Warden says we must get away from this place quickly."

Gabrielle allowed Merrill to set their pace as she walked beside the elf. The girl kept glancing in her direction the way she always did when she was trying to find the right words to say.

"Hawke, Fenris is very worried about you and the babies. He's much grumpier than usual lately. Did you two have an argument?"

"Yes, Merrill."

"I'm sorry to hear that...You know he wouldn't get so angry with you if he didn't care so much. Try not to let it upset you. He loves you."

Gabrielle smiled. Merrill always did have a way of making her feel better in her own way and she was much wiser than most people gave her credit for. Her simple way of looking at the world was a refreshing change from the cynicism that most people viewed life with.

"Thank you Merrill. I know that he just wants to protect me. I guess sometimes it's hard for me to remember that someone cares for me that profusely."

Merrill's eyes widened. "A lot of people love you Hawke. I worry about you too...I'm just more afraid of you than Fenris is."

Gabrielle laughed and hugged the girl around her shoulders. "I love you too lethalan."

The whole group remained silent for some time after that. Gabrielle kept looking over her shoulder to see if any of the Tower was still visible from their location. The long spire on top was still in view no matter how far they went. She started to worry that they wouldn't get far enough away to be able to fool Justice. How long had it been anyway? She knew that they only had two hours at most when they left the clearing where their campsite had been.

They followed the old forgotten path that they had been traveling on into a thick glade of trees. Just as Gabrielle turned to check the tower again, a low rumble began off in the distance. As the sound neared them, the ground began to tremble and quake beneath their feet. Black smoke rose above the trees and into the blue, cloudless sky above.

Gabrielle turned back toward her traveling companions. Justice was standing farthest away, arms crossed and a wicked grin on his face. Fenris wore a mask of cold indifference as did Morrigan. Merrill, however was in a panic.

"Oh my, what is this? The ground is moving. What happened Hawke? It almost feels like it did in Kirkwall that day that the Chantry was destroyed." The elf looked up to see the black smoke rising into the air while trying to keep a foothold. "Please tell me that this isn't like Kirkwall Hawke,"

Gabrielle hated lying to Merrill, but she had to keep up the ruse for Justice's sake.

"Yes Merrill, it's like Kirkwall. Justice made Angelina and I put something in the tower to destroy it."

Merrill's face grew sad and tears formed in her big green eyes. "But what about all of those people, Hawke? All of those mages? And the Warden told me that there were always children there, that she grew up there."

Gabrielle's face mirrored Merrill's. She couldn't help but worry about the people she and Angelina had left in the tower.

"I know how you feel, Merrill, but Justice didn't give me a choice."

Merrill was obviously disappointed with her friend. "You always have a choice, lethelan."

Gabrielle hated to see Merrill look at her in that manner. She wanted so badly to tell the elf not to worry, to tell her the truth, but she just couldn't take that chance. She felt the need to apologize to the girl even if it made no sense.

"I'm sorry Merrill." she said quietly.

The elf's face turned to stone. She straightened the pack on her shoulders and silently began to make her way down the path. Gabrielle felt a twinge in her stomach. It seemed like everyone she cared about had either left her or were probably going to do so soon. Fenris wouldn't even look in her direction and now Merrill was angry with her too.

Angelina, on the other hand, had doubled back and fell in step beside her.

"Okay, here's what's going on," she whispered with no thought to what just happened. "Justice wants to go back to Denerim. He says he has another job for you to do there which I assume has something to do with more explosions and death. Anyway, I told him that we have gone where he wants to and done everything he wants to so far, but we are going to go to Vigil's Keep next. At first he tried to fight me, but I threatened him. He didn't really appreciate that, but I told him that I have Warden business to attend to. Apparently that got him thinking about something, so we came up with an agreement. I'm not sure what he has planned, but I get the feeling it ultimately has something to do with me. He's tired of me and wants me dead. I can feel it. The thing is, you need to do whatever you have to in order to get that collar around his neck cousin. I really don't think I want to die anytime soon."

"But what?" Gabrielle asked as quietly as she could. Her first idea would have been the most effective way, but she didn't want to upset Fenris anymore that he already was.

"Use your feminine charms. He obviously has a thing for you. Use it to your advantage."

Gabrielle shook her head. "I can't. Fenris already..."

Angelina turned and grabbed her by the arms. "Fenris will be fine and he will understand. Sometimes we have to do unpleasant things in order to succeed. He may be upset with you for a while, but if he truly loves you he will see the truth of it and forgive you."

Gabrielle knew that her cousin was right. Playing the game of seduction with Justice was the fastest and best alternative. When she looked up to see where everyone else was, she almost ran right into Justice's chest.

"I do not want the two of you to speak to each other anymore unless I am present."

Angelina rolled her eyes. "Look, you can't..."

Blue ethereal light flashed across Justice's eyes. "We have already struck our bargain woman. The agreement was that we will go to Vigil's Keep as you asked, but you must follow my every instruction to the letter without argument."

The Warden blew out an exasperated breath. "Fine. Is there something you needed?"

"As a matter of fact, I need to speak with Hawke...alone."

Angelina was fuming, but instead of arguing she bowed to him and picked up her pace to catch up to Morrigan. Justice's face was solemn when Gabrielle finally turned her full attention him.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

She was slightly taken aback at his concern. "Why do you care?"

"I was concerned about you." he replied.

"Why?" she asked again, her voice a little softer.

"I noticed that the elf is not at your side. I gather that you fought."

"Yes, we did. But that's really none of your business." She knew she had to start being nice to him, but they were still almost two weeks from reaching the Keep and she just didn't feel like being cordial yet.

"I am sorry...about what happened at the inn. About hurting you I mean." he said softly.

Gabrielle was confused. Justice sounded almost human. "It's done. Forget it."

He looked down at her bulging stomach. "I think that you are wrong, by the way."

Her eyebrow arched. "About what exactly?"

"About the father of your children."

Gabrielle definitely was not in the mood to discuss the twins with Justice. She was incensed at his presumption, so much in fact that tears began to form in the corners of her eyes.

"It doesn't matter anyway. Even if Anders was their father, he is not coming back. After the other night, I know that you have made sure of that. So no matter what happens from here on out, Fenris is their father."

Justice grabbed her by the hand and pulled her body into his. He cupped her cheeks in his hands and stared into her eyes.

"It doesn't have to be that way, Hawke. You and I...we can conquer the world together. There is no one who will be able to stop us. We will make sure that it is a world worthy of our children. I can give you everything if you just give me the chance."

Gabrielle shook her head, her face disbelieving. "Listen to yourself, Justice. You are a demon; at the very least you're a Fade spirit. And even if I did buy into everything you're saying, how could we have children? You're still in Anders' body. Need I remind you that his blood contains the taint?"

"But that can be fixed." Justice said.

"How?" she asked.

"There are ways...the point is that I can give you a life that you could only dream of. Please, don't answer now. Just give it some thought. That is all I ask."

Gabrielle couldn't figure it out. Maybe she had been wrong about Justice. Maybe he wasn't a demon after all. There were times in the past few weeks when he seemed so human that it completely baffled her. On the other hand, she had seen the darkness inside him and felt the vile cruelty that he was capable of. Still, given the way he was acting toward her at that moment, she had to wonder if there was still a part of the real Justice in him somewhere. She had no intention of considering his request. She briefly wondered what he meant when he said that the taint could be fixed, but her thoughts were interrupted by his voice.

"Since the Commander insists on going, I have devised a plan for the Keep." he said quietly.

Gabrielle wasn't sure she wanted to know. She hoped that she would be able to get the collar around his neck soon after their arrival to the estate. Unfortunately, she knew if she didn't ask what his plans were, it would make him suspicious.

"And what would that be?" she asked sarcastically. "Let me guess...could it be another explosion perhaps?"

"Not necessarily, but I will give you the details later. Right now, we need to concentrate on getting there…By the way; you will be sleeping in my tent for the rest of the journey."

Gabrielle became incredulous. "What makes you think that there is any possible way I would do that?"

Justice smirked. "Because that is what I require of you. Because if you do not, your elf will die."

"That threat is getting rather tired, don't you think?" She was starting to lose control of her temper. She knew that Justice was trying to drive a wedge between her and Fenris. On the other hand it was the perfect opportunity for her to make him believe that she was developing feelings for him.

"That may be. However, it is still effective, is it not?" he asked.

"I hope you don't expect me to share your bed with you."

"No, I will not ask you to do that against your will. If you share my bed, I want it to be from your desire to do so as well as mine."

'Fine." She huffed. "But you will have to give me a chance to tell Fenris."

He held out his hand, gesturing for her to go to the elf. "By all means, be my guest."

She only regarded him for a brief second before hurrying to catch up to her lover. Justice stayed at the back of the procession as she moved forward. Gabrielle wasn't really looking forward to telling Fenris Justice's new demand, but she didn't see how she could get out of it. When she finally found herself at the elf's side, she remained silent for a long while. It was Fenris who finally broke the reticence.

"I trust you, Hawke. I just don't like the idea of that monster getting so close to you, touching you. I understand that you are the only one who can accomplish this task, but it does not mean that I revel in the knowledge of you putting yourself in that type of danger."

Gabrielle concentrated on the ground in front of her. "I appreciate your concern Fenris…There's been a new development…Justice has a new demand."

The elf rolled his eyes indignantly. 'What is it now?"

"He told me that I have to sleep in his tent for the rest of the trip." Then she quickly added. "But he said that I don't have to have sex with him unless I want to."

Fenris shook his head. "He thinks that if he keeps you nearby, he might have a better chance of bedding you. The only thing that surprises me is that it took him this long to decide to do it. The best way to gain control of your mind and to win your loyalty is to keep you in close proximity and to separate you from me."

"I know that Fenris, but what choice do I have?"

He stopped, grabbing her by the hand as he did which caused Gabrielle to be jerked backward. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. When their lips parted he tucked her hair behind her ear and searched her bright blue-green eyes, his own full of distress and sorrow.

"Promise me that you will be careful, amarem. I do not need to remind you how dangerous the abomination is."

She smiled at him, happy in the knowledge that he loved her and was not angry with her.

"I promise mal cornum. I will keep our children safe."

Fenris touched her cheek gently. "You better keep yourself safe as well. I do not wish to lose any of you."

Gabrielle nodded her agreement. Their lips had just touched once more, when Morrigan's voice rang out from behind them, obviously repulsed by the scene.

"Oh, not this again…you two make me ill. Tis obviously a family trait. The Warden and the dolt use to do this sort of thing often as well." She stood staring at them with her hands on her hips. When they did not release from their embrace, she threw her hands up in exasperation and began moving forward again. Fenris chuckled as he pressed his forehead against Gabrielle's. Merrill passed them next without a word or even a glance in their direction. Gabrielle knew that she would need to have a long conversation with the elven girl when all of this was over and ask for her forgiveness. Angelina, noticing Merrill's obvious disdain for her friend at that moment, hurried to catch up with the elf to engage her in conversation. Justice of course, brought up the rear. His voice betrayed no hint of emotion as he spoke to Gabrielle.

"I have given you ample time to explain the situation. I wish to see no more of this type of affection between the two of you."

Fenris glared at him, but released Gabrielle. He took her hand and gave it one final squeeze before moving ahead.

Over the next two weeks, the travelers made their way to Vigil's Keep holding to the offbeat trails that cut through the forests and swamps along the way. The first two nights, Gabrielle placed her bedroll as close to the side of the tent and as far away from Justice as she could possibly manage. Each morning she would wake up cold and wet from the condensation that had formed on the canvas and dripped onto her bedding and her face. By the third night, Gabrielle decided that she had suffered enough and inched her roll closer to Justice. She found that she still wasn't far enough away from the side to keep her bedroll and herself dry. Each night, she would move a little closer and she found that the only spot that stayed completely dry was right next to Justice. By then, her bedding was completely soaked and could not be dried rolled up atop her pack everyday.

When they made camp two days outside of Amaranthine, Gabrielle found herself dreading going to sleep. Not because she had to sleep next to Justice, he had actually managed to maintain a certain amount of decorum in their situation, but because she just couldn't bear the thought of sleeping in that wet sack another night. Since that first night in Justice's tent, she just couldn't get warm. She had an unrelenting chill that would not go away.

When she finally made her way into the tent that night, she found her bedroll gone. She frowned at the bare ground next to Justice's bag as he watched her intently.

"I noticed that your bedding was soaked through, so I hung it across a large low lying branch on a nearby tree to dry."

She instinctively hugged her arms tightly around her. The thought of sleeping on the cold, hard earth without any cover made her shiver even harder. When her teeth began chattering, Justice stood and put his arms around her. He hugged her close to his chest and rubbed her arms. She wanted to pull away, but the heat of his body gave her a warmth and comfort that she hadn't felt in over a week. He nuzzled his cheek against the top of her head as she clung to him.

"You will catch your death if you do not have a warm place to sleep tonight." he whispered. "You shall take my bedroll and I will sleep on the ground."

No matter how much she longed to pull away from his embrace, she just couldn't will herself to do so.

"No Justice, I can't allow you to do that. Maybe, just for tonight, we can share your bed…I mean, not that I want to…"

She felt his chest rise and fall heavily beneath her. "I understand Hawke. Do you trust me enough to do that?"

She didn't trust him, but she couldn't have him risking Anders' health anymore than he already had. Anders' once muscular, healthy body had become gaunt and weak. He was beginning to look like a walking corpse and Gabrielle knew that his physical form would not be alive much longer if something wasn't done quickly. The last thing Anders' body needed was the risk of exposure to the elements.

"Yes." She lied quietly as tears formed in her eyes, not only for Anders but for her weakness as well.

She felt his arms squeeze tighter around her shoulders as his left hand reached up and stroked her hair.

"Thank you for your consideration Hawke."

She pulled away enough to see his eyes. "Can I ask for one thing in return?"

His brow furrowed suspiciously. "What would you have me do?"

Her glistening eyes pleaded with him. "I know that Anders is not coming back to me, but I cannot stand to see his body wasting away like this. Please, if there is any feeling in your heart at all for me, make his body healthy again. I see that you eat very little and you sleep even less. A mortal body needs those things to survive. If you want me to... consider a future with you…I just cannot do it without your cooperation in this."

Justice wiped the tears from her eyes with his thumb. "As you wish, Hawke."

She flashed a small smile at him. "Thank you Justice."

That night, as she lay there with Anders' arm wrapped tightly around her while Justice slept, Gabrielle wept silently. It had been nearly a month since Justice had taken over Anders' body and almost two weeks since the last time she had seen any sign of him. She had never heard of anyone's spirit lasting that long. She knew that she would have to slay Justice anyway, but the hope of ever seeing Anders again was almost lost completely. Once Justice was gone, Anders' body would die and that would be the end of him. She didn't even get to say goodbye. Unrelenting waves of sorrow washed over her at that thought. Her tears flowed faster and more freely than ever as she tried to choke back her sobs of heartache.

Justice squeezed her tighter. She turned her head just enough to make sure that her crying hadn't woken him up. He was snoring softly so Gabrielle knew that he wasn't aware of what was happening. She turned her face to the side of the tent once more and just stared off into the abyss beyond.

_He's gone and for the first time, I have to face that fact. _

Then she felt it. A small flutter like a dozen butterflies had been let loose in her stomach. She placed her hand on the bulge and then felt it again, a little stronger this time. She heard the words that Justice had said to her almost two weeks ago.

_"I think you are wrong by the way…About the father of your children."_

What if by some miracle Anders was the twins' father? Didn't they deserve the chance to meet him? Didn't Anders deserve the chance to be the father he had always wanted to be? He told her that he knew she would save him. In all the years they had known each other she never gave up on him completely, not once, and by the Maker she wasn't about to start now.


	31. Chapter 31: The Trap Is Sprung

Justice opened his eyes to find that it was already later in the morning than what he hoped it would be. He had wanted to get an early start so they could reach Amaranthine by nightfall. Normally it would have taken a day and a half to reach the city from where they were camped, but he had intended to rise and pack up early and then push everyone harder in order to see the city walls before they set up camp for the night. He cursed himself for spending entirely too much time in the Fade trying to track down Anders.

He knew that the mage was still there somewhere. He felt his presence, he just couldn't see him. Justice had designed this part of the Fade to be vast in order to confuse Anders so he couldn't find his way out. But he had…that one night he found his way out quite easily it seemed. The part that really had Justice worried was that Anders seemed quite himself that evening. With all of the images Justice had weaved in the Fade, Anders should have been reduced to a drooling simpleton by then. Perhaps the mage was stronger than he gave him credit for. There was something going on that Justice just couldn't understand.

He looked down at the woman lying next to him. She had his arm squeezed tight to her chest, using it as a sort of makeshift blanket. It was something that she had done with Anders a thousand times. Now it was his turn. She rolled over and nuzzled her face into his chest. A wide grin spread across her face as she snuggled up closer to him. She was the one thing that could interfere with his plans. The desire to give up and just spend the rest of her life fulfilling her every wish and demand was becoming almost more than he could bear. Anders' feelings for her threatened to ruin everything. He was a spirit of the Fade with the desires of a mortal man. It was all becoming too confusing. He had to stay focused on his goals. But having her so close, seeing her warm up to him the way she had been lately…it was almost too much.

Tendrils of black smoke swirled in his eyes as he stared at her. It would be so easy to just snap her pretty little neck and get it over with. Then all of his problems would be solved. Her presence threatened everything. She was a siren, a temptress who threatened to take it all from him. He had come too far to allow her to get in his way. He slid his hand up to her throat and began to squeeze. It only took seconds before he released his grip. He just couldn't make himself do it. He slowly tore himself out of her warm embrace. It was difficult, but necessary. He had to focus and he couldn't do that in her presence. He would just have to stay away from her, to keep her at a distance.

He quickly stood and got dressed. He took one last long look at her before exiting his tent for the morning. After a brief walk through the surrounding forest to clear his head, he sent Merrill to wake her up. He remembered his promise to Hawke and made sure that he ate breakfast. As he ate, he looked up from his meal once to see her smiling approvingly at him. He didn't dare take that chance again, choosing to keep his concentration on his food instead. When they had everything packed and were finally on their way, he took the lead and made sure to maintain a healthy distance from her.

They walked until well after dark, but because they got such a late start they still didn't make Amaranthine like he had wanted. During their evening meal, Justice found a fallen tree off away from everyone else and sat down upon it to eat. He was determined to do whatever he had to in order to avoid being near Hawke. He even entertained the thought of letting her go back to Fenris's tent, but he couldn't bring himself to allow it. Once he had finished his supper, he closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on his goals and plans but his mind kept wandering back to Hawke. He knew that her bedroll had finally dried out, but he wondered if she would still allow him to hold her as he had the previous night.

Before he could stop himself, he opened his eyes and found himself looking for her. She was nowhere to be found. His first thought was that she had taken off somewhere with Fenris, but he spotted the elf still sitting by the fire poking at it with a large stick. In fact, he realized that Hawke was the only one missing.

"What are you doing over here by yourself Justice?" came a voice from behind him. The sound of it caused him to gasp, and not entirely from surprise. He closed his eyes to steel himself and to keep from looking into hers. He felt her sit next to him, close enough to smell her perfume. His breath quickened as he tried to maintain his wits.

"I just needed some time to myself…to think."

He could not look at her. He wouldn't look at her, not right then anyway. She was so close that he felt her lean forward.

"I…I just wanted to thank you for last night. It was the first time I actually felt warm since we left the Tower."

He maintained a cold, uncaring tone when he replied, "It was your own fault for sleeping so close to the canvas."

She stood and he heard her voice coming from above him. "Well, anyway…thanks. I'll let you get back to whatever it was you were doing." Her tone became acerbic. "Sorry I bothered you, I won't disturb you again."

He heard her begin to walk away and almost grabbed her arm to stop her. It took all of his fortitude not to. Once she was gone, he opened his eyes once more and watched her as she sat next to Fenris. What was he doing? The last thing he wanted was to push her back into the elf's arms, but that's exactly what he was doing.

He stood and dusted himself off quickly before making his way over to the couple. He stood over them and looked above their heads.

"It is time to retire for the evening. Hawke, you will accompany me to my tent immediately."

He didn't wait for an answer or even to make sure that she followed, choosing instead to hurry and enter his tent and get into his bedroll before she arrived. He lay down and turned toward the side of the tent that faced away from where she would be sleeping. He heard her enter the tent and closed his eyes. He felt her lay down beside him and breathed a little easier when he heard her roll over onto her side. He almost choked when he felt her wrap her arm around him and tuck her body into his back. He needed to pull away from her, to remove her arm from his waist.

"Goodnight." She whispered softly into the dark.

He covered her arm with his and entwined his fingers with hers in reply. He was thankful for the material of their bedrolls that separated their bodies. He wondered briefly why she was making such an effort to get close to him. What was she planning? At the same time, she hadn't started acting like that until the previous night. Was she just responding to what he had done for her? Even though they didn't have sex, sleeping that close together sharing the warmth of their bodies was its own kind of intimacy. He knew that it was that type of affection that Anders craved the most from her when they were apart.

_Damn Anders!_

These were not his feelings. They were a reflection of Anders' feelings. He was a Fade spirit with one purpose and these damn emotions were threatening to keep him from his duty. Until that moment, he never realized how hard it must have been for Anders to give her up. Justice thought that it was just weakness on the mage's part, but he finally understood Anders' reluctance. He had never realized that it was possible to feel such an overwhelming desire to be with another person, to give up everything for her. Surely this was the Maker's greatest gift and simultaneously His most abominable curse.

He made up his mind that he had to find another host and quickly. He told himself that he could no longer let Anders' feelings for her influence him. He momentarily questioned whether it was really all about Anders or if he himself actually felt those things, but promptly dismissed it. The Maker made him incapable of such emotions. No, he knew that as soon as he left Anders' body, she would no longer matter to him. As soon as they were back in Denerim, he would find someone else.

For now, he could use her budding feelings for him and her love for Anders to his advantage. He still needed her in order to accomplish his goals at least for now. That was going to be his new focus, getting to Denerim so he could rid himself of her hold once and for all. He felt her curl up closer to his back and he squeezed her hand instinctively as he drifted off into the Fade to look for Anders once more.

The next morning, he awoke just as the sun was shining its first rays across the horizon. At some point during the night, he and Hawke had switched positions and he found himself pressed into her back and holding onto her. Her bare shoulders told him that she had slept in her small clothes. He bent his head down and covered her exposed skin with his mouth. He sucked her shoulder softly, his teeth lightly grazing her flesh. She moaned and began grinding her buttocks against his already erect manhood. He worked his lips and tongue up to her ear and softly nipped at her lobe.

"Anders." she whispered.

He let out a long ragged breath as he threw himself onto his back and buried his face into his bicep. No matter how much he desired her, he could not be with her unless he knew that it was him, Justice, not Anders that she wanted. After taking a few minutes to calm himself, he slowly rose from the ground and put on his boots. Once outside the tent, he relit the fire and then woke Merrill. He instructed the elf to rouse the rest of the camp, starting with Angelina so she could make the morning meal.

He looked out onto the horizon and tried to gauge the distance left between them and the Keep. They were still a few hours outside of Amaranthine and then it would take another full day from there if they kept a normal pace. If they hurried and did not stop for a midday meal, however they would be able to reach the Keep sometime that night.

While Angelina finished preparing their food, he instructed the rest of the party to pack everything away so they could leave as soon as they finished eating. They had all become proficient with the routine so they were back on the trail within the hour. Once again, Justice avoided Hawke and walked ahead of everyone else. The whole party remained silent as they traversed the trail that led to their destination. A somber uneasiness had spread among the party as they made their way down the winding and twisting path.

It was quite late in the evening when they finally reached the outside gate of the Keep. Once they were inside the great hall, Justice noticed that the large clock against the wall read that it was just past eleven o'clock. The lateness of the hour caused him to decide that he would wait until the morning to discuss his intentions for the Grey Warden outpost with Hawke. His aching gut and legs told him that what he needed right then was food and a comfortable bed to sleep in. Everything else could wait.

He saw Angelina whisper something to one of the servants before she led them all into the dining room. It wasn't long before several large trays of meats, cheeses and vegetables were laid out before them. Once again they ate in silence and when the meal was over, two servants led them to their rooms. Justice considered telling Hawke that she had to sleep in his chambers that evening, but decided that he just couldn't handle sleeping next to her again. He feared that he would completely lose control if they shared a bed that night.

He was just crawling into bed when he heard a knock on his door. He quickly put his pants back on and answered it. A young elf stood before him apprehensively.

"I have a message for you, ser." Her voice was shaking as she spoke and her hand trembled as she held out a small note for him. He took it and nodded to dismiss her. It was from Hawke and he found his own hands begin to tremor as he read it.

_Justice, please come to my room as soon as you can. I need to see you._

He wondered if it was some sort of trick. What could she possibly want to see him about at that hour? He also found it odd that she wasn't spending the night with Fenris. He thought about ignoring her request, but his curiosity got the better of him. He pulled his only clean shirt from his pack and pulled it over his head. He didn't even bother putting on his boots, opting to go in his bare feet. After asking one of the servants which room Hawke was staying in, he made his way down the hall to find her.

He exhaled slowly as he rapped on the wooden door. It opened before him almost immediately. She greeted him with a warm smile.

"I'm glad you're here."

He saw that she was wearing only a man's white linen shirt that just covered her upper thighs. It was untied in the front which showed off her ample bosom perfectly and it was thin enough for him to see that she wore no undergarments beneath it. It took all of his concentration to keep his voice steady as he spoke to her

"I got your message. What is so urgent that you needed to see me at this hour?"

She reached up and ran her hand down his cheek, a coy smirk playing at the corners of her mouth.

"I just…I can't deny my desire for you any longer. I want you to stay with me tonight, to share my bed. I want you to make love to me Justice." The lust dancing in her eyes was unmistakable. He couldn't believe that she finally said the words that he had been longing to hear."

"Are you sure?" he asked, his voice trembling.

In answer, she covered his mouth with hers. Her tongue darted into his open mouth and began its exploration. She tugged at his shoulders to pull him around. She pushed him down on the bed and pulled her shirt over her head as he scooted up to the pillows. She straddled him and then kissed him passionately. She put her hands beneath his head as she pressed her breasts to his face. He heard her mumble something and then a faint metallic click. He briefly wondered what made the noise, but when she began grinding against his throbbing manhood every other thought left his head.

She clawed at his chest and then moved her hands to his neck as she teased his nipples with her tongue. He heard her whisper again. Suddenly the feeling of cold metal surrounded his throat. She looked up at him with a wicked grin.

The last words he heard before he was forced from Anders' body were, "You're finished, you sick, sadistic son of a bitch."


	32. Chapter 32: A Ritual Of Blood

Gabrielle rolled off of Anders' paralyzed body onto the bed beside him. She was shaking from head to toe. She did it. She actually managed to pull it off. She gave herself a few minutes to calm her nerves before getting dressed. The book had said that if the collar was not removed within forty-eight hours, the body would die and the demon would be released. They had a lot to do and very little time to do it. The rest of her companions were waiting for her in the dining room and Angelina grinned widely when she saw her cousin walk through the doorway.

"Well that didn't take long." She observed.

Gabrielle casually shrugged her right shoulder. "What can I say? I'm very talented."

Fenris sniggered. "I've always found that to be true."

Everyone seemed relieved to finally be rid of Justice's lurking presence and demanding aura, everyone but Morrigan.

"I do not know why you all think that this is a time for celebration. It is far from over. The most difficult path still lies ahead of us." The atmosphere of the room turned dreary once more as all of them turned to face the witch. She stood and continued in the haughty manner they had all grown so accustomed to. "We have a very small window of time to perform the ritual before the demon escapes again. We must move quickly to the place where the ritual is to be performed. I suggest that we make use of the horses outside in order to make better time."

Angelina nodded. "Agreed. I will have the servants prepare a wagon while a couple of my men retrieve Anders' body from Gabrielle's room."

As soon as she finished speaking, the Warden excused herself to go make the necessary preparations. When she had cleared the room, Merrill jumped from her seat and ran to Gabrielle. The elf threw her arms around her friend.

"Oh, Hawke. Angelina explained what really happened at the tower. I am so sorry for getting so angry with you. I should have known that you wouldn't ever let anything like that happen."

Gabrielle returned Merrill's hug. "I am sorry Merrill, that I didn't tell you…I just"

Merrill interrupted her. The girl's sparkling green eyes widened as she spoke. "No, lethellin, you don't need to apologize. I understand that I tend to babble and blurt things out. You were just trying not to let the demon know your plans."

Morrigan cleared her throat to interrupt their conversation. "As touching as this little reunion is, we need to gather our things and be on our way as soon as possible." According to the Warden, it takes almost a full day to reach the Marsh on foot from here. Even on horseback it will take several hours, and we will need time to prepare the ritual."

Gabrielle nodded her agreement. Once they had finished getting there things together and the horses had been prepared, they set out for Blackmarsh. Anders' body along with all of their gear had been placed in a small wooden wagon which barely had enough room for the driver. The rest of them were to ride on horseback in pairs. Angelina drove the wagon while Morrigan, who tended to favor animals over people most of the time, took the reins of the horse she and Merrill were to ride on. Gabrielle had never been on a horse in her life, but Fenris had some experience with the animals from his time in Danarius's service so he took the lead of their horse. Two more horses each carried a large Grey Warden on their backs. Angelina said they would need the men in order to carry Anders' body into the village. Gabrielle wondered why they couldn't just carry him the whole way in the wagon, but did not voice her question aloud.

They rode hard through the night and finally reached the dark path leading into the swamp just before dawn. Gabrielle's question about the involvement of the two Wardens was answered almost immediately when the animals became spooked as soon as they came to the darkened trail. They tied their horses to a fence that was located a few yards away from the shadow of the eerie trees that hung over the road ahead. Their two burly escorts lifted the mage's body from the wagon and placed it on a canvas litter which they immediately lifted up. Without a word or any hesitation, they headed out for the unseen village at the end of the dark path. The rest of them gathered their gear and marched forward into the abyss of the ghostly forest ahead.

As soon as her foot hit the tree line, Gabrielle felt like a great heavy weight had engulfed her. The air was so thick and ominous that it made it difficult to draw in a breath. The sadness and hopelessness of the place threatened to overwhelm her. She looked up at the trees whose branches hung low overhead and it felt like the ancient timber was actually watching her. She had the sudden urge to break into a run, but simply quickened her pace instead. Even though they had seen the sun's rays shining over the horizon in the east, its light did not reach that place. The surrounding bog seemed to be a land of eternal night. Gabrielle found herself looking forward to entering the village. Any place was better than where she found herself at that particular moment.

When they walked through the gateway of the outer stone wall of the hamlet, Gabrielle realized how wrong she had been. Even though they were away from the trees, the place was still dark as the sun hid behind the ever-present grey clouds above. As she looked between the buildings, she could have sworn that she had seen ghostly apparitions weaving their way in and out of the alleys. The crate that housed the lyrium had been stored in a small hut near the center of the town. When they entered they found only dusty broken down furniture that was all that remained of someone's home. Gabrielle was surprised to see a brass double bed complete with mattresses in one of the rooms off of the kitchen. Angelina directed the two Wardens to lay Anders down on the antique furnishing as Morrigan took in her surroundings and nodded her approval.

"Yes, this will do quite nicely. The veil is definitely thin enough in this place and the building will allow us to stay hidden within its walls to reduce the chance of interruption."

Angelina instructed her men to open the crate of lyrium before they were dismissed to return to the Keep. Morrigan began removing different sized and colored candles from her pack. After retrieving the last one, she placed them around the bed that Anders was occupying in some sort of pattern known only to her. She then pulled a large red scarf from a pouch that hung from her belt. The cloth was fashioned from heavy velvet and it had odd black symbols and pictures embroidered throughout its length and width. Angelina had placed the sword that she had carried on the small rickety table that had been moved into the bedroom. Morrigan retrieved an ornate dagger from its sheath at her waist and laid it next to the sword. Finally, she removed a large, black leather-bound tome from her bag and put it down on the bed next to Anders. She placed her hands on her hips and surveyed the room, her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed in thought. When she was completely satisfied that the room had been prepared properly she nodded and turned to Fenris.

"I will need you to stay outside and guard the door. Do not let anyone or anything get past you. Tis very important that the ritual not be interrupted, else we could lose the participants to the Fade."

A look of distress crossed the elf's face as he nodded his understanding. Morrigan turned to Gabrielle and motioned her toward Fenris.

"I imagine that the two of you would like to speak privately for a moment before we start in order to be disgustingly affectionate. The rest of us shall wait for you in the next room, but remember that we need to begin quickly."

Gabrielle smiled at the witch. Morrigan rolled her eyes and walked into the bedroom in response. Fenris tucked her hair behind her ear and stared into her eyes for a long moment. He then slowly took a knee and slid his strong arms around the lower portion of her hips. He nuzzled his cheek against the bulge of her belly and kissed it gently before rising to his feet again.

"I will be very upset if you do not return to me." He said quietly as he searched her bright blue-green eyes, his own deep green ones glistened in the candlelight. "I love you Gabrielle and I don't want to spend the rest of my life mourning you."

"Don't worry, Fenris. As you told me once, nothing can keep me from you."

At hearing those words, he put his hands on her cheeks and pulled her into him for a long, passionate kiss. He gave her one final hug and a soft kiss on the cheek before walking out the door. As he turned away from her, she couldn't help but notice the light that reflected off of the small path of tears that trickled down his cheeks.

Once the heavy outer door had shut behind Fenris, Gabrielle stood there for a long moment in order to gather her thoughts and mentally prepare for the daunting task ahead. She had only been in the adjacent room for a few minutes, but when Gabrielle reentered the bedroom she saw that the walls and floors were covered in runes that had been drawn with the lyrium that her cousin supplied. The remaining lyrium crystals were arranged in a circle around the bed that occupied the middle of the room. Once the door was closed, Morrigan approached her.

The witch's face betrayed the seriousness of the words that she spoke. "I will tell you now that once the ritual begins, there must be complete silence from you. Know that I will do nothing that will put your life or the lives of the babes you carry at risk. There shall be no arguments or interruptions once I begin."

Gabrielle swallowed hard upon hearing Morrigan's final warning. She wondered what the witch intended to do, but decided that it was probably better not to dwell on it. Morrigan gestured to the empty space on the bed beside Anders. Once Gabrielle was lying comfortably next to her lover, the witch used her magic to light all of the strange candles that surrounded them at once. She opened the black book to a page that she had already marked and retrieved the dagger from the table. She began speaking in a language that Gabrielle did not understand. It sounded a bit like Fenris's native language which made her believe that it was more than likely Ancient Tevene.

Morrigan continued reciting the spell as she made her way slowly around the bed to where Merrill was standing next to Anders. The elf picked up his hand and turned his palm upward. Morrigan quickly scratched a spiral rune into his hand and then repeated the process on Merrill's left palm. As soon as she finished, the elf began reciting the same phrase over and over.

_Per es vinculum ot cruor nos uther vos en regnum ot somnium_

Morrigan then repeated the process on Merrill's right hand and Angelina's left. As soon as the two mage's hands were clasped, Angelina began chanting in unison with Merrill. The Warden moved to the foot of the bed to make room for Morrigan who was now standing over Gabrielle.

The witch laid the open grimoire down on the bed beside her. She then took the top of Gabrielle's tunic and shirt collar in one hand and used the dagger in her other hand to cut the material in half. Gabrielle gasped as she felt the tip of the dagger penetrate the skin just below her bra. She felt her warm blood trickle down her sides as Morrigan moved the tip of the knife down to her abdomen. Gabrielle bit her bottom lip and winced in pain as the witch used the blade to carve several runes into the bulge of her stomach.

She gagged slightly on the bile that had risen into her throat when she felt the blade dig into the skin of her left palm, but she remained silent. She could tell just by the feel of it that the cut Morrigan made into her hand went deeper than the others she had done. She also noticed that instead of a single spiral pattern, the witch was using the dagger to form several smaller runes into her skin. After slicing mirrored runes into Angelina's right hand, Morrigan placed the cousins' palms together and bound them with the embroidered velvet scarf that Gabrielle had seen earlier.

The three women surrounding the bed continued to chant as Morrigan replaced the dagger with the sword that was on the table. She stood at the head of the bed and bent forward. She faced the palm of Anders left hand toward the ceiling and then repeated the same step on Gabrielle. She brought the blade down and ran it through Gabrielle's hand. Her body lurched upward as tears streamed down her cheeks from the incredible agony. Her breath quickened and it was all that she could do to keep from fainting. She watched as her blood seeped up the ancient weapon's shining blade and filled in all of the runes.

Morrigan slowly pulled the sword out of Gabrielle's hand. She turned the blade around and Gabrielle noticed that the runes on the other side had retained their metallic sheen. None of her blood had seeped into any of them, not even the ones close to the point. The witch once again lifted the sword and then plunged the blade into Anders' hand. His blood filled the markings on that side.

When all of the runes were permeated with their blood, the liquid substance in the hilt began to glow weakly. What started out as a small spark quickly began to illuminate the entire room. Morrigan hurriedly laid the sword down on the bed between Gabrielle and Anders and placed their bleeding hands on the hilt, Anders' closest to the pommel and Gabrielle's touching the guard. The room around Gabrielle began to spin out of control as a brilliant flash of light shone through the slit in her hand where the blade had pierced it. The bright light blinded her which caused her to shut her eyes tightly. The three women surrounding her began to chant the unfamiliar words faster. The sound blended together until all she heard was a faint whir as she continued to spin. She kept her eyes closed until she no longer felt the world rotating around her. Suddenly, the pain from her wounds stopped hurting and the bright light no longer shone through her eyelids. She slowly opened her eyes to find herself in the realm of dreams holding onto a very real sword, the only thing that was physically real in that place.


	33. Chapter 33: A Question Answered

Gabrielle sat on the rocky ground for a moment in order to gain her bearings before slowly pulling herself up to a standing position. She began to look at the landscape around her. As usual the atmosphere was hazy and surreal. She saw buildings that she recognized, including the Hanged Man and the manor house at Vigil's Keep. Off in the distance she recognized the familiar spire of the Circle Tower in Ferelden. There were also many structures that she didn't recognize as well. Ghostly images of Templars and mages glided by her. They all seemed to be searching for something and looked right through her as they passed by.

Her eyes caught on the back of a man standing next to a tree with a large pitchfork sticking out of its trunk. He seemed to be examining the protrusion closely. He was at least a head taller than her and dressed in dark blue and black. His blue trousers were tucked into his knee length black leather boots. A thigh length suede coat of the same blue as his pants covered his upper half. The stand-up collar and the hems of the garment were elaborately embroidered with silver thread. Except for the fact that it was missing feather pauldrons, it reminded Gabrielle of something that Anders' would wear. The man turned his head to the side for a moment, just long enough for her to get a brief glimpse of his profile. There was something oddly familiar about the young man. His hair was dark brown and cut short, reminiscent to King Alistair's. Strapped to his back was a plain wooden staff made from ash and looked just like the one her father had given her for her twelfth birthday.

She saw him shake his head in obvious confusion. He raised his arms and placed his hands around the long handle. His broad shoulders flexed beneath his coat as he tried to pull the tool from the bark to no avail. It became very obvious to Gabrielle that he did not belong in this place. He was no image that the demon had woven to trick Anders. This man was a trespasser just like her. She heard Angelina's voice in her head.

_Find out who he is, but be careful cousin. You never know what you are going to find in the Fade._

When they had spoken about the ritual before, Morrigan had mentioned that Angelina would serve as a sort of guide from the physical realm to make it easier for Gabrielle to keep a strong foothold outside of the Fade.

She approached the young man cautiously and tapped him on the shoulder in order to get his attention. When he turned his face to her, she found herself staring into Anders' amber eyes. The man flashed a crooked grin as he pointed his thumb toward the pitchfork behind him.

"Somebody's idea of a joke." He chuckled. "My only question is how did they do it?"

Gabrielle was slightly confused. He looked so much like Anders. The same twinkle in his amber eyes, the same playful smile; his laugh even sounded like Anders'. He pursed his lips and cocked his head to one side. His stared at her through narrowed eyes, but the mischievous twinkle never left them.

"So you still don't recognize me, huh?" He shook his head mockingly and tsked. "What kind of mother are you?"

Gabrielle's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open as she stared at him in disbelief. He laughed as he tapped her chin to let her know that she was gawking. This was her son…Anders' son. Her entire face broke out into a grin as she threw her arms around his neck. She pulled back and cupped his cheeks in her hands as she took in his handsome face. He looked almost exactly like his father with the exception of his hair and nose. He had her brother Carver's nose. A thought occurred to her as she stood there gazing at her son.

"But where is your twin?" she asked.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I am here to help my father. This has nothing to do with her."

Gabrielle was confused. "What do you mean, he's her father too."

He shook his head. "No, he's not. Her father is an elf."

Gabrielle felt her knees buckle beneath her and her boy caught her before she went down. Then she began to laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation. Only she could find herself pregnant by two different men at the same time. The one good thing about it was that it would definitely solve the jealousy issue between the two men as far as the children were concerned. She looked up at her son and realized that she hadn't even thought of any names for either of the twins, but she felt that he needed a name before they went any further.

"So…do you have any preferences regarding your name?" she asked.

"No."

She wanted to give him a good strong name…one that she respected, one that held deep meaning for both she and Anders. She smiled broadly as it dawned on her.

"Cullen. Your name is Cullen."

He nodded his approval. "Cullen…I like that."

Gabrielle took another long look around her. This place was huge. How in Andraste's name would she ever find Anders? She looked down at the hand that Morrigan had plunged the sword into. Even though there was no wound, she felt a tingling coming from where the hole had been. The point of the sword that the hand was holding lifted slightly and pointed to the west. It felt as if it wanted her to follow its lead.

"I think we should go this way." She told Cullen before heading in that direction.

They walked for what seemed like hours, but time was always so hard to gauge in the Fade. Angelina continued to relay Morrigan's insistence that they find Justice and destroy him. After what felt like the hundredth time, Gabrielle had grown more than tired of the witch's nagging.

"Angelina, shut up. If you don't have anything important or new to tell me then don't say anything."

_But Morrigan says…_

"I don't give two shits what Morrigan says. Tell her to shove it up her ass. I got the message loud and clear so there's no need to keep repeating it."

Gabrielle stole a glance at the young man walking beside her.

"Damn." She mumbled under her breath. She was a mother now and she supposed that she should start acting like one. She thought of her own mother, how delicate and proper she always tried to be. She knew that she would never live up to that, and she really didn't want to. No matter what she did, Gabrielle always tried to be true to herself and live her life honestly. If she tried to be like Leandra, she would be living a lie and she wouldn't be able to face herself in the looking glass again.

"Listen…kid…I'm going to tell you right now that I will never be the timid fragile kind of mother that most children grow up with. I'm sure that I'll set a horrible example for you and I probably won't ever watch my language. You won't grow up in a normal household, but I can promise you that there will be lots of love and even a few laughs in between all of the craziness I always find myself in the middle of. "

Cullen held out his hand in front of her to make her stop and look at him.

"Mother, I don't care if you're like anyone else. Somehow, I know exactly who you are. I know your hopes, your dreams, your fears…I even have your knowledge of magic. I think you are an amazing person who has done a lot of amazing things and I wouldn't change a thing about you. I am proud to say that you are my mother."

She felt tears begin to form in her eyes as she smiled up at him. "Thank you Cullen. I can't begin to tell you how much it means to me to hear you say that."

Suddenly she felt the tingling in her hand again and the pull of the sword turned her around and led her down a steep hill. As she walked she noticed a large tree at the bottom and saw the outline of a person sitting below it. As she drew nearer, she became aware of a faint glow surrounding the individual which gave her pause. The sword felt like it was going to pull right out of her hand. Her arm started to ache from the strain it was putting on her muscles. She spoke out into the air surrounding her.

"So now you decide to be quiet?"

_I'm sorry, Gabrielle. I'm not sure what to make of it. The glow makes me wonder if it's Justice._

Gabrielle stood there, her feet glued to the ground beneath her. If that was Justice, she wasn't ready for him yet. She had to find Anders first. She swallowed hard. She willed herself to take a few more steps to get a better view. She got near enough to see that the figure was a man. A few steps closer and his identity became unmistakable.

"It's Anders" she said breathlessly.

_Watch out cousin. It might look like Anders, but how can you be sure that's who it really is? I can see the light surrounding him, which means that it's more than likely Justice or a lesser demon who is trying to trick you._

She couldn't help herself. She had to know. He was sitting leaning his head and back against the large tree with his eyes closed. His left leg was pulled up to his chest while his left arm rested atop his bent knee.

"It is him." She whispered as she felt her heart leap in her chest.

_Morrigan doesn't know how that could possibly be him. On the other hand she says that since the sword contains his blood it would be automatically drawn to him if the two of you didn't enter the Fade at the same time._

"I knew it."

_Hold on just a minute Gabrielle. Morrigan says that even if that is Anders, you probably aren't going to be happy. She says that more than likely he won't even recognize you. He's been there too long. _

"I don't care. I have to take the chance."

_But what about Cullen?_

Gabrielle looked sadly at the young man standing beside her. "Cullen…"

He looked toward the man sitting below. "Is that him? Is that my father?"

She took her son's hand. "Yes, sweetheart…but he may not be well. He may not remember that I was pregnant when he came to this place. He may not even remember me at all. If you want, I can go check. If he's okay, I'll call you down to meet him."

Cullen squeezed his mother's hand. "I don't care. I want to go with you."

She shrugged. "If that's what you want."

What Gabrielle wanted more than anything was to run to him as fast as her legs could carry her. Cullen, on the other hand, trudged slowly down the hill. She could see apprehension and fear written all over his face. She kept a tight grip on his hand as she let him lead her down the hill. When they reached the bottom, the sword stopped its relentless pulling and remained still. She drove its blade into a sheath that had appeared on her belt.

They stood over the tall blonde mage for only a moment before he opened his eyes and squinted up at them.

"Oh hello sweetheart. I honestly didn't think you would be able to find me all of the way out here in this remote location. You're looking quite lovely today. And who is this strapping young lad next to you? Hmmm? A new lover perhaps? A templar? No…he looks like a mage. Is this who you're going to replace me with?"

Gabrielle found herself confused by Anders' odd behavior. She started to wonder if it was really Anders. Or maybe it was him and he had gone mad from being in the Fade for so long. He stood up and stared into her eyes.

"Justice did a really good job with you. He actually got the right eye color and everything and it actually feels like you really see me…Amazing"

She shook her head and put her hand on his cheek. As she reached for him, the bright aura that had surrounded him seemed to burst like a bubble and lights of every color spread into the surrounding sky.

He placed his hand over hers for only a moment before he grabbed her face and kissed her lips. Tears of joy streamed down his face as he ran his fingers through her hair and stared into her eyes.

"Anders…there's someone I would like for you to meet." she said with a relieved smile.

He tore his eyes away from hers long enough to glance at the tall dark haired mage standing next to him. His brow furrowed as he clasped the boy's wrist.

"You seem awfully familiar to me. Have we met?"

The young man smiled. "Not officially, no."

Gabrielle interrupted their exchange. "Anders, this is Cullen."

Anders was taken aback slightly. "This isn't the Cullen I remember."

She rolled her eyes. "No not that Cullen. This is Cullen Hawke."

"A relative of yours, then?" he asked apprehensively.

She couldn't help but giggle at his confusion. "Sort of…he's our son."

Anders contemplated her words for a moment before turning to her with a questioning gaze. "_Our _son? As in yours and mine?" A look of panic overtook his face. "How bloody long have I been in here, Gabrielle? He's got to be at least eighteen. For Maker's sake, what have you been doing all of this time? How is my body still alive?"

"Calm down, love. I still carry the twins inside my body. He's just appearing in his adult form in the Fade. Morrigan told me that it usually happens that way."

"So I'm actually a father?" He seemed relieved but still disbelieving.

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Yes you are a father. You have a son and his name is Cullen."

Another wide grin spread across his face as he picked up Gabrielle and twirled her around. After he put her feet back to the ground, he turned to his son and embraced him warmly. When he released Cullen he gripped the young man's biceps and beamed proudly. He then began looking around as if he was waiting for something.

"Okay, before you even ask, she's not here…because she's not yours."

Anders laughed and shook his head. "Only you Gabrielle. You are the only woman I know that would ever have something like that happen to her."

She rolled her eyes and her tone dripped with sarcasm. "Yeah, yeah…angry demon pirates at the beach and all that bullshit. At the same time, I don't necessarily think that this is a bad thing."

He smiled as he looked at his son again. "No, it's not a bad thing at all."

Cullen's face turned sad as he stared at his father.

"Is something wrong, son?" Anders asked.

Cullen shuffled his feet as he watched the toe of his left boot push the dirt beneath it.

"It's just that…I know about the Wardens and the fact that you will die from the taint. Mother is afraid that you will never see me grow up. I'm worried that you won't be around to see me as a man, that I'll never get the chance to really know you."

Anders nodded sorrowfully. "I'm sorry, Cullen. When I became a Grey Warden I didn't have much of a choice in the matter, it was either join or die. At most, Wardens have thirty years to live, but some go much quicker than that. I can't say when I'll hear my calling, but I've only been a Warden for six years. There's a chance that I'll be around long enough to see the birth of my grandchildren. "

It was obvious that Cullen didn't believe him. He opened his mouth to say something else to his father when he was interrupted by the sound of clapping coming from behind the large oak. A tall ghostly figure dressed from head to toe in ancient massive armor stepped around the trunk. The entire form seemed to be made of a sort of thick black smoke…the same smoke that had danced in Justice's ice blue eyes. The booming voice that came from the armored figure was cold, cruel and angry enough to give Gabrielle chills.

"Hello Hawke."


	34. Chapter 34: The Final Battle

Gabrielle glared at the demon tempestuously. "Hello again Justice…nice armor."

He snickered callously. "I underestimated you Hawke, much to my detriment. I always knew that you were a clever girl, but the Collar of the Beast, that was a nice touch. And the way you put it on me…now _that_ was a thing of genius and beauty. I just never realized that you were capable of such cruelty. I commend you, dear lady."

She crossed her arms. "Jealous?"

"Not at all." He replied with a twisted smirk. "In fact, it has caused me to come to a very important conclusion about you."

"Please enlighten me with your newfound wisdom Justice." She snarked.

"You think yourself so superior don't you, Hawke? You have them all fooled, but I know your secrets. Unlike your friends, I see you for what you really are. A self-righteous, self-centered hypocrite who manipulates her friends by using their love for her against them. Do you know why you do not feel regret Hawke? Because you care nothing for others and do not consider anyone's feelings but your own. You crave power and recognition, love and friendship mean nothing to you."

An overburdening sense of shame threatened to wash Gabrielle away on a sea of regret. Her life and her choices flashed by her in a matter of minutes, but it seemed like an eternity. She saw images of her sister being broken by an ogre while her mother told her that it was her fault. Then her mother lay dying in her arms, her face and body twisted by a deranged blood mage. As Leandra took her final breath, everyone Gabrielle knew closed in around her. They all told her that she was to blame for what happened. She dropped her mother's head and tried to crawl away, but was stopped by her brother's legs. The tip of large broadsword with veins of bright red illuminating the blade appeared from his stomach. His eyes opened wide with surprise and pain as fresh blood began to pour from his open mouth. He gurgled and choked on the thick liquid as he pleaded for her help with his dying blue eyes.

"His blood is on your hands." Knight-Commander Meredith sneered. "If you hadn't been such a selfish, uncaring sister he never would have had to turn to the Order for acceptance and love. You drove him to his death."

Gabrielle covered her head with her arms and began to rock back and forth. "All my fault…it's all my fault." She kept repeating.

She heard far away voices. What were they trying to say? She looked up once again to see Fenris standing before her.

"Do you even care about me Hawke?" he asked. "You have done nothing but use me from the moment we met. I have given you so much, yet the only one that matters to you is Anders. You don't love me at all, do you?"

She threw herself at his feet, weeping desperately to make him see how much she cared. "Of course I do, Fenris. I love you so much."

He glared at her disdainfully. "I am finished, Hawke. I will no longer be your slave to use and take the scraps of your affection from the mage's table. I hate you for turning me into the one thing I tried to escape from. You are just like Danarius and Hadrianna and all of the other magisters in Tevinter…in fact you are worse. At least with them, I knew exactly where I stood. None of them would ever pretend to love me just to keep me on a leash."

He circled around and walked away from her without so much as a glance back. Gabrielle lay on her side and tucked her legs into her chest as she lay drowning in a river of her own tears. She watched her father walk by and shake his head disapprovingly at her weakness while Kirkwall's Chantry exploded into millions of pieces behind him.

The faraway voices began buzzing in her ears again. An unseen hand touched her face. A man's angry voice pierced the air around her, but she saw no one. She was completely alone. Everyone she knew, everyone she loved had abandoned her. The man's shouting became louder, but was stopped suddenly by a blast of icy air that skimmed by her head and almost grazed her ear.

Then she heard a woman's voice. It seemed familiar, but she couldn't quite understand what it was saying or remember who it belonged to. The overly sugary sweet tone began to cut through the fog that had settled into her brain. The woman's words started to become coherent.

"Gabrielle…fight it…trying to…your mind."

"What?" she whispered to the disembodied murmuring.

"He…break your mind…" the voice became sharp and angry. "Snap out of it!"

Suddenly, everything came back into focus. Gabrielle blinked twice and was greeted by the site of her lover lying on the ground behind her, encased in thick milky colored ice. She looked up to see a vile, black demon in heavy armor standing over a young man in dark blue…her son. She threw out her hand and let a large blast of warm air fly at the creature who threatened her child.

Justice was knocked back against the trunk of the oak that stood behind him. Gabrielle blew a gust of heated air from her lips to quickly melt the ice that had imprisoned Anders then ran to Cullen's side and pulled the boy to his feet.

"Gabrielle, I almost forgot to tell you the most important thing about the sword." Angelina blurted from within Gabrielle's head. "It can only be used once, and only to strike the final blow. As soon as the demon is struck by its blade, it will disappear from the Fade and return to the real world. Also, neither you nor Anders can wield it since it contains your blood. Cullen will have to deal the killing strike."

"Understood." Gabrielle said aloud.

She looked up to see that Justice was finally able to retain his footing. He rose to his full height and leered at the three angry mages who stood before him. He opened his mouth to speak, but his words were quickly cut off by Gabrielle.

"Shut up demon. I don't really care to listen to any more of your bullshit. I have put up with you for over four years, and I have decided that I'm not going to do it for another minute. We found each other in this place. As powerful as you think you are, you cannot stand against all of us."

The knowledge of a spell that she had never cast or even seen cast filled her mind. She knew that it was one of the forbidden incantations which Angelina had spoken of at the tower. Before Justice could say another word, Gabrielle raised her arms high in the air. Small angry red flames began to form around her hands as she made circles with them. The flames quickly began to grow larger as she closed her eyes and recited the spell along with her cousin. A large funnel of fire and brimstone surrounded her. She opened her eyes. The sound of her voice broke through the wall of the spell as she screamed the final word of the incantation and threw her hands out toward Justice. Immediately, a cyclone of flame encased the demon. Anders spread his arms wide and a windstorm moved forward to join with the inferno which caused it to grow even larger and burn even hotter. Cullen then added a tempest of lightening which flashed a brilliant silver within the orange and red blaze and struck at Justice from every angle.

The demon tried to escape the hellfire that the mages created, but the more he fought, the hotter the conflagration burned. Thick black smoke rose from the creature. As it did, it was replaced by bright blue ethereal light. When the last embers of the spell finally died down, Justice knelt before them cowering and simpering with his arms covering his head. A black fog remained billowing just above his body.

"No more, I beg you. Please Hawke…I surrender." He sniveled.

Gabrielle removed the ornate sword from the sheath at her side. The ringing of the blade being pulled free drowned out Justice's cries. She handed the sword to her son.

"Cullen, it is you who must make the killing cut."

The young mage looked at the weapon in his hand and shook his head. "I…I can't. You are the hero mother, not I."

She smiled at him as her chest swelled with pride. "This is your destiny, child, not mine and not your father's."

Tears formed in the boy's eyes. "But…I'm not ready. I can't….once I do this, it will all be over. I cannot tell you how much it has meant to me to be able to fight at your side, as your equal. I won't be able to do that again for years." He turned his attention to Anders. "And father…I may never be able to get the chance to fight at your side again. I don't want to lose you."

Anders moved toward his son, his amber eyes glistening. He put his hands on the younger man's shoulders. He shook them softly as he spoke. "Just remember one thing, son. No matter what happens, I am damn proud to be your father. I will always be with you in your heart and in your mind, and someday after we have both passed through the veil, we will see one another again and we will have eternity to get to know each other."

Gabrielle put a hand to each of their shoulders. "You're father's right, Cullen. Even if we find ourselves apart sooner than we would wish, we will all find our way back to each other eventually."

Cullen nodded at his parents, and lifted the sword ready to strike the final blow. Justice raised his head and lifted his hand.

"Stop. Please…for just a moment. I need to say something to you…to all of you."

Gabrielle scoffed. "Why in Andraste's name would I ever give a damn about anything you have to say?"

"Please, Hawke…I…I want to apologize, for everything." He looked up at her, his pleading eyes filled with remorse. "I thought that my…feelings for you were just a reflection of Anders' love, but I was wrong. As a spirit of the Fade, I was never meant to have those emotions, but I found myself experiencing them anyway. Not just recently, but since I have known you. I became jealous of Anders even as I shared his body. I want to thank you, Hawke…for being such an incredible woman and for saving my friend from me and what I was trying to make him become."

He turned his attention to Anders. "My friend, I am truly sorry for tricking you into allowing me to possess you. Please know that your anger had nothing to do with what I have become. Pride, envy and desire overtook me before we ever struck our bargain. I apologize for taking advantage of your pain to achieve my goals."

He peered up at the gray sky above them. "I know you can hear me, Warden. You are the only mage in two ages that has the knowledge of the inferno spell. I just want you to know that none of this was your fault. Everything I did, all of the mistakes I made were of my own choosing. You were a good friend and I took advantage of your kindness."

Justice grunted in pain as the black smoke above him began to lower itself back down to his shoulders.

He smiled at Cullen. "As soon as the blackness has returned and filled my spirit again completely, you must remove the head of the beast and you must do so in one blow. Do you understand young one?" Cullen nodded in response.

The spirit's eyes darted between Gabrielle and Anders. "I do not have much time, but there is something that I would like to do for the two of you and the Warden, to at least try to make up for part of my transgressions." He reached his hands out to them. "Please, I do not have time to explain. I need your hands."

Gabrielle stared at him as if he were insane. "Why would we ever trust you enough to let you touch us?"

"I know you have no reason to believe me, but I would like to give you this gift…Please?"

The two mages reluctantly held out their hands to him. He clasped them tightly in his own and spoke foreign words into the air in a deep booming voice. Gabrielle's body started to shake uncontrollably as she felt a black coldness seep from her brain. The sensation of thousands of icy needles made its way from her head down to her shoulder and through her arm. She felt pain as the imagined tiny shards pierced through the veins in her hands and into Justice's skin. She looked down to see what appeared to be tar seep from his hands and spread throughout his body. The black smoke lowered further and began to trickle into Justice. The mixture of the smoke and the thick syrupy liquid made Justice's form more solid and real. He seemed more human than spirit. Gabrielle looked to Anders who was having a similar experience to her own, except that on him, she could see the tar-like substance moving throughout the mage's entire body and into Justice.

As soon as all of the dark matter left Anders, and the spirit kneeling before them had been completely blackened from head to toe, Gabrielle heard a guttural cry coming from her left and saw the shining silver blade as it made a clean cut through the demon's neck. She watched the head roll off of the body and onto the ground, the dark viscous fluid oozing and spraying from it like ebony blood. The body slumped forward and just as a huge wad of mucilage hit her cheek, a bright flash of light burst from the sword's hilt which knocked her back and engulfed her completely.


	35. Chapter 35: A New Beginning

"Fenris, you're going to wear a groove in the floor if you don't stop pacing like that." Angelina scolded the elf. He ran a hand through his disheveled hair. Even her chiding didn't stop his relentless marching. She shook her head as she chuckled. She had never seen a man so nervous and that was saying a lot considering that she had spent the past six years with Alistair.

"You know that's not going to make things move along any faster, don't you?"

He frowned at her and then waved his hand in dismissal.

"Mother, what's wrong with Uncle Fenris? Is he sick?" asked the young blonde boy sitting in Angelina's lap.

"No, sweetie. He's just worried. He'll be fine." She replied sweetly.

The young prince shrugged. "May I go outside to play now, Mother?"

Angelina sighed. "Yes, yes…go on…" she narrowed her eyes while shaking a finger at the child. "But you be careful and for Maker's sake stay out of trouble."

He grinned widely and kissed her on the cheek before climbing from her lap and running out the door. She turned her attention back to the elf traipsing around in front of her. She stood right in his path and grabbed his shoulders before he could walk around her.

"So why don't you just go in there?" she asked.

The elf's shoulders slumped and his eyes turned to the threadbare rug that was lying next to his foot. "I…I just can't. I can't stand the thought of seeing her in pain."

Angelina smiled at him reassuringly. "I'm sure she would love to have someone in there with her, to hold her hand."

"After everything we've gone through together and after letting us stay in the castle for four and a half months until Alistair returned, you two are practically sisters. Maybe you should go be with her."

She raised her eyebrow in thought for a moment before a coy grin spread across her face.

"Well, if that's what you really want Fenris I suppose I could do that, even though I think it would mean a lot more to Gabrielle to have you in there with her."

He looked at the closed door and exhaled in defeat. "I just…can't."

"Okay, suit yourself. I just think that it's a damn shame that Anders will get to hold your daughter before you do."

Fenris turned his head and looked down at the floor for a few seconds before heading to the bedroom, his face filled with determination.

Angelina found herself alone in the main room of the modest house for the first time that day. She sat back down in the cushioned arm chair that she had been occupying before. She felt tired most of the time lately and she thought that it was a good time to try to catch a short nap. She closed her eyes and folded her hands in her lap. She wiggled a bit to try to find the perfect, comfortable spot, and was almost asleep when her solitude was interrupted by the sound of the front door being shut. She opened one eye to see her beloved king pouting as he flopped himself down on the chair in front of her and crossed his arms in a huff.

"I can't even find any decent cheese in this whole village." He groused. "Why in Maker's name did we have to come here? Couldn't your cousin just have stayed in the castle and had the twins there?"

She sighed. "You're whining again dear. And Gabrielle wanted someplace private and out of the way where they wouldn't be found. I figured since we cleared Haven out all those years ago and nobody ever reclaimed it, it would be a perfect place for them to settle."

His face twisted into a juvenile frown which made Angelina wonder if he was going to stick his tongue out at her too. She flashed a patronizing smile at him which made him roll his eyes. His face softened a bit to more of a bored expression.

"By the way, I thought you might want to know that Duncan's outside making mud pies and throwing them at Gabrielle's mabari…and Varric. I think he might have hit Isabela with one as well. I heard her yelling curses after I passed by."

Angelina shook her head. "He's your son too, Alistair, you deal with it."

The king grimaced. "Hmph! Pregnancy has certainly made you cranky. I can only imagine what you're going to be like in another seven months."

Angelina looked down at her stomach and smiled as she rubbed circles across it with her hand. She was only a few weeks along so she wasn't showing yet, but she had already gotten into that habit. When they arrived a few days prior, Angelina thought that she was sick with some sort of virus. She had been exhausted throughout their trip and the day before they arrived in the small village, she had begun vomiting. She asked Anders to examine her to see if he could figure out the cause and he gave her the good news. According to the timeframe the healer had given her, Angelina guessed that it must have happened as soon as Alistair returned from Antiva.

She stole another glance at the love of her life and couldn't help but grin. His childlike demeanor was one of the things she had always found so endearing about him. He was frequently awkward and shy and she found him completely irresistible. She walked over to him, plopped down on his lap and threw her arms around his neck. He reached up and ran his hand through her hair before pulling her face to his and kissing her.

"Did I tell you that you have made me the happiest man in Thedas?" he asked.

"And how did I do that?"

He wrapped his arms around her waist and squeezed. "Well, let's see…in just a few months the woman I love more than anybody else in the entire world is going to be having my baby. I can't think of anything better than that."

**….**

Fenris's bravado went out the window the moment he walked through the bedroom door and saw Hawke lying there wincing in pain. Anders, dressed in simple black trousers and a black shirt, was sitting in a chair at the foot of the bed. The elf noticed that small tendrils of silvery smoke were trickling from the mage's fingertips into Hawke's distended abdomen, which he assumed were to help with the pain.

"You're doing beautifully sweetheart." Anders' voice was calm and soothing. "Just a little bit more and you'll be finished."

She let out a long guttural cry before her head hit the pillows that were propped up behind her. Her dark brown hair clung to her forehead which was covered in a sheen of perspiration. Her chest rose and fell quickly and noticeably as she drew in shallow ragged breaths. Anders stared into her eyes and breathed slowly and deeply in order to show her what she should be doing.

"Slow your breathing love. Follow my lead and concentrate on my eyes. It will help with the pain."

Fenris found that he didn't know what to do. What he really wanted at that moment was to run back out the door. He began to back away slowly and reached for the handle behind him when Hawke glanced up and straight into his panicked face.

"Fenris." She called breathlessly and with relief. "I'm so happy that you're here."

Anders gave the elf a knowing look and used his head to gesture to the bedside table.

"There's a basin with a washing cloth and clear water. Use it cool her face. Try to keep her focus on you and help her steady her breathing." The mage ordered.

Fenris nodded and for once did what Anders told him without argument or hesitation. He had just started to wring out the cloth, when Hawke sat forward and started to scream, her face changing from red to violet from the strain.

"That's it, sweetheart…Push."

The elf quickly grabbed her hand and stared into her bright blue-green eye, trying his best not to let her see the terror that he was experiencing in his own. He hummed softly to her and her breathing slowed as she continued to bear down.

"Okay love, I see a head, one more good push should do it."

Fenris smiled and nodded at her. He squeezed her hand tightly. "You can do this, amarem."

Hawke scrunched her eyes and clutched his hand so tightly that he thought she might break it. He never realized that she had so much strength. Suddenly, Fenris heard a smack and then a high pitched crying from the foot of the bed. He turned his head to see Anders holding a dark haired baby in the air.

"Well hello again, Cullen." The mage said as he quickly used a cutting spell to separate the baby from the long cord of flesh that hung from its navel. He tied the remaining stub that was left on the child quickly and delicately employed a small flame spell to cauterize the very tip. He then placed the babe in a cradle that he had positioned bedside him. Fenris got the sensation of his hand being crushed again while Hawke lurched forward.

"That's it, love…Just a little…more."

Once again the sound of skin being slapped and another cry filled the air. This time, Anders was holding a tiny girl with thick silver hair.

"Hello sweetheart. I imagine that your papa is anxiously waiting to hold you."

The mage repeated the same process on the female as he had on his son. He grinned widely at Fenris as he gently laid the baby in the elf's arms. She looked up at him with round bright blue-green eyes. A tear streamed down his cheek as he smiled warmly at his daughter.

"Avanna, Parvalus." He whispered. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, next to her mother of course. He felt a hand on his arm pulling it toward the bed. He turned around and sat down next to Hawke so they could both look at her.

"We still haven't picked out a name for her." The new mother said hoarsely.

Fenris looked down at the babe in his arms and thought about everything that had taken place to get them to that one moment. It was almost like fate had taken them by the hand and led them all there.

Fenris said only one word. "Destiny."

Hawke looked up at him thoughtfully and then nodded her head. "It's perfect Fenris."

**….**

Anders watched briefly as Gabrielle and Fenris admired their daughter before turning his attention back to the baby lying in the cradle next to him. He used his magic to heat the water in the basin that lay on a small table next to the child's bed, and then gently cleaned him. The mage then stood up, put a fresh nappy on the baby and swaddled him snugly in a soft blanket before lifting him from the cradle and settling him into the crook of his muscular arm. Anders chuckled as his son's dark brown eyes took in his surroundings, mouth opened wide as if he were in awe. The blonde mage closed his eyes.

"Thank you Justice." He whispered into the air that surrounded him. Even though the Fade spirit was gone, Anders knew he owed him a debt that could never be repaid. What Justice did for both he and Angelina more than made up for the sins that he committed while in the mortal realm. He gave them the gift of hope and peace. He gave them back their lives.

The blackness that had transferred from the two Wardens into the spirit was the taint leaving them and joining with Justice. Neither he nor Angelina had to worry about dying young anymore. They would both live to see their children grow up. In fact, it allowed the former Warden Commander to be able to bear a child of her own.

"Anders." He heard Gabrielle call his name from the bed. "Can I see our son now, or do you plan to keep him all to yourself?"

He smiled at her sheepishly. "I was just trying to give the three of you a few minutes alone."

Anders sat on the bed next to her and stole a glance at Fenris who was too busy cooing at his new daughter to notice.

"Would you like for me to clean her up for you?" he asked the elf.

Fenris shook his head. "No, I think I would like to do it myself." Anders eyes followed him for a moment before turning his attention back to Gabrielle. He placed Cullen in her arms and bent to kiss her forehead.

"You did it, love. I am so proud of you."

She grinned at him as he pushed her wet hair away from her face. Everything he had longed for since he met Gabrielle had finally come to fruition. As he watched the love of his life cuddle the child he never thought he could have, Anders finally realized what his true purpose and calling were…to spend the rest of his life striving to be the man that Gabrielle and their son deserved.

**….**

Just as Gabrielle was finishing up the twins' first feeding, the door creaked open just enough for her cousin to poke her head in the room.

"I heard the babies crying and I thought that I would give you three a bit before we came in to meet them. Is it okay to come in now or would you rather wait until your finished feeding them?"

Gabrielle shrugged. "It's fine with me if you want to come in now, as long as it doesn't bother you at all. I was almost done anyway."

Angelina waved her hand in dismissal. "Alistair might blush a bit, but he'll be okay. It's something he needs to get used to anyhow."

The door closed for just a moment before it opened wide and visitors started to pour into the room. True to Angelina's prediction, Alistair's face turned crimson upon seeing Gabrielle's bare breasts as she handed the children to their fathers. She noticed how uncomfortable the king was and quickly covered herself to put him at ease. Angelina rolled her eyes at her lover before turning her attention back to the newborns.

"Can I hold one of them?" she asked excitedly. Anders passed Cullen to her and she began to coo at him.

Isabela sauntered over to Fenris and peered at Destiny over the elf's shoulder. Her face softened as she looked down at the child. "Awww, what a little sweetheart. She has the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen."

"Would you like to hold her?" Fenris asked.

Isabela backed away slightly. "I'm not sure that's such a good idea. Children don't really like me much as a rule."

The elf didn't give her much choice as he laid the baby in the pirate's arms. Isabela's muscles tightened as she waited for the child to begin its inevitable wailing. After a couple of minutes of silence, however, she relaxed and began bouncing the baby gently in her arms.

"Oh, I like you." She said sweetly. "You and I are going to get along famously. And someday, when you're big enough, I'll even take you shopping for your first hat." She grinned widely at Gabrielle, who chuckled at the pirate's joke.

Varric didn't hold either of the twins, but examined each in turn and gave Gabrielle a thumbs up. "You three did good work." He said and then pursed his lips thoughtfully before covering his eyes with his hands and shaking his head. "I can't believe I just said that…Only you, Hawke…Only you."

Varric left the room shortly after that while the rest of them passed the babies around until they started to become cranky. As soon as Destiny began to whine, Isabela practically threw her back to Fenris before making a hasty retreat to the main room. Angelina was the last to leave them alone with the children, promising that she would be back shortly with food for them all.

Gabrielle lay there watching the two men she loved holding their children. She thought back to everything they had gone through together. She thought of Merrill and Aveline and how much she missed the two women who had become like sisters to her. Aveline chose to stay in Kirkwall when the rest of them departed hoping to help sort out the mess they left behind. After learning about the Eluvian that Morrigan had discovered, Merrill decided to accompany the witch, in hopes to find her people's lost history.

She knew that the serenity that her new family had found would be fleeting, but in that moment and in that place, they had found the Maker's favor and the world stopped to smile upon them all.

_Finis_


End file.
